State Department issues terrorist-related Travel Alert

Article Title: Travel Alert from U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

August 02, 2013

The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the continued potential for terrorist attacks, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, and possibly occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula. Current information suggests that al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August. This Travel Alert expires on August 31, 2013.

Terrorists may elect to use a variety of means and weapons and target both official and private interests. U.S. citizens are reminded of the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure. Terrorists have targeted and attacked subway and rail systems, as well as aviation and maritime services. U.S. citizens should take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling.

We continue to work closely with other nations on the threat from international terrorism, including from al-Qa'ida. Information is routinely shared between the U.S. and our key partners in order to disrupt terrorist plotting, identify and take action against potential operatives, and strengthen our defenses against potential threats.

We recommend U.S. citizens register their travel plans with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy through the State Department's travel registration website. We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens Traveling abroad enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency. If you don't have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State's Internet website attravel.state.gov where the Worldwide Caution, Country Specific Information, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well. Download our free Smart Traveler app, available through iTunes or Google Play, to have travel information at your fingertips.

In addition to information on the internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, from other countries, on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Friday, Eastern Time (except U.S. federal holidays).

Source: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_6042.html

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Issa turns his attention to federal employees

Article Title: Panel to vote on bills that target federal workers
Snippet of Article: "...“The real intent of this legislation is to vilify federal employees and make us appear untrustworthy,” said J. David Cox Sr., president of the American Federation of Government Employees...."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Furloughs causing traffic congestion at Redstone Arsenal

Article Title: Traffic clogging Redstone Arsenal during furloughs
Snippet of Article: "...HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) - The military says traffic congestion is getting worse at Huntsville's Redstone Arsenal because of personnel reductions linked to federal budget cuts...."

Source: www.abc3340.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Unions attempt to halt 20% pay cuts caused by sequester

Article Title: Redstone unions try new push to undo furloughs
Snippet of Article: "...As of this week, some 15,000 civilian employees at Redstone are being furloughed, required to take one unpaid day off a week for the next 11 weeks, essentially taking a 20% pay cut for the period...."

Source: www.waff.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Postal Service privatizing mail processing as it shuts down USPS mail processing facilities

Article Title: Protestors occupy private airport mail facility; five arrested
Snippet of Article: "... “postal protectors”, were arrested July 3 in an occupation of a private air cargo facility slated to handle and process US mail. “Postal mail handlers and mail processing clerks are losing their jobs to profiteering, private corporations,” declared Jamie Partridge, a retired letter..."

Source: vimeo.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

VA hacked! Why?

Article Title: Why was the VA hacked?
Snippet of Article: "...In early June, a former Department of Veterans Affairs IT manager told members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee that the VA’s databases have been hacked by at least eight foreign organizations ..."

Source: www.govhealthit.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, VA hacked, [/tag]

Passage of Immigration Bill already a foregone conclusion?

Article Title: Homeland Security awards new immigration ID contract even before passage of bill
Snippet of Article: "...As the Senate completes the first portion of their proposed immigration reform legislation, the outcome in Congress may be a foregone conclusion with Homeland Security already awarding new contracts to a technology corporation to facilitate the documenting and surveillance of potential new immigrants under a national ID system...."

Source: www.examiner.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, Government ID card, Immigration Bill, Immigration Reform, HID Global, [/tag]

Postal worker attacked; sketch of suspect released

Article Title: Police release sketch of suspect who assaulted, robbed postal worker
Snippet of Article: "...asking for the public’s assistance in finding two men that assaulted and robbed a postal carrier in midtown while delivering the mail...."

Source: www.khou.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

More insurance companies to participate in Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program

Article Title: Federal employee dental and vision insurance program to expand
Snippet of Article: "...More insurance companies will participate in the dental and vision insurance program for federal employees and retirees in 2014, the first expansion since the program was created in 2006, the Office of Personnel Management announced Friday...."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program, [/tag]

Insider Threat Program

Article Title: Obama program requires federal workers to inform on colleagues
Snippet of Article: "...pressing a government-wide crackdown on security threats that requires federal employees to keep closer tabs on their co-workers and exhorts managers to punish those who fail to report their suspicions...."

Source: www.star-telegram.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, Insider Threat Program, [/tag]

Federal Employee Union President Points Out Contractors' Motives

Article Title: Federal employee union president slams contractors' motives
Snippet of Article: "...The GTI's ultimate goal, he said, is to remake government operations so they follow the model of private companies, which would mean "at will employment to replace the civil service, pay systems that differentiate by individual and reallocate salary dollars to the top at the expense of those in lower grades, and an ethos of fast and cheap and buyer beware."..."

Source: www.bizjournals.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, Federal Privatization, [/tag]

Individual convicted of threatening a federal employee

Article Title: Gilmanton man convicted of threatening federal employee sentenced
Snippet of Article: "...pleaded guilty in March to impeding or retaliating against a federal employee after prosecutors at U.S. District Court in Concord said he left a threatening voicemail in January 2012. ..."

Source: www.concordmonitor.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Rep. Issa's IRS witch hunt continues

Article Title: Issa’s Missing Testimony
Snippet of Article: "...So here is the situation. We have a chairman on a fishing expedition who has nothing on Obama or any White House person. He also says things that aren’t true and never walks them back. He leaves out some things that are true but aren’t helpful to his “cause.” But he knows that he needs to milk this nonsense through 2014 or that frothing GOP base is going to bring some of that froth his way...."

Source: www.thedailybeast.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Federal Worker Payroll and Bonus Database

Article Title: $332 Million In Federal Worker Bonuses And Searchable Individual 2012 Payroll Records
Snippet of Article: "...The searchable database shows individual payroll records for fiscal year 2012, including some bonuses, for about three out of four government workers...."

Source: www.wusa9.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Agencies could soon use a mobile device to register the identities

Article Title: GSA Considers Mobile Options for Issuing Federal Employee IDs
Snippet of Article: "... Agencies could soon use a mobile device to register the identities of federal personnel who sign up for workforce credentials, according to contracting documents. The General Services Administration, which sells workforce ID cards to agencies..."

Source: www.nextgov.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

ICF International awarded $34 million Postal Service contract

Article Title: ICF International Awarded $34 Million Contract with the United States Postal Service
Snippet of Article: "...contract by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to provide program management and information technology management support for the Mailing Information Systems (MIS) and Domestic Products divisions. The contract has a value of up to $34 million and a term of 10 years...."

Source: www.dailyfinance.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Republican Senators Attacking Union Workers for Protecting Workers Rights

Article Title: 188 VA Workers Do Union Work Full-Time, Senators Say
Snippet of Article: "...Senators Tom Coburn, (R-Okla), and Rob Portman, (R-Ohio), sent a letter Wednesday to Secretary of Veteran Affairs Eric Shinseki demanding answers as to why, based on government documents, 188 VA employees were paid taxpayer-funded salaries and benefits to do union work..."

Source: www.foxbusiness.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

OPM proposes 'phased retirement' regulations

Article Title: Federal workers could enjoy a ‘phased retirement’
Snippet of Article: "...On Wednesday, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will publish proposed regulations allowing feds to take “phased retirement.”..."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Internal Revenue Service spent about $50 million to hold at least 220 conferences

Article Title: House panel: Report finds $50M for IRS conferences
Snippet of Article: "...A government watchdog has found that the Internal Revenue Service spent about $50 million to hold at least 220 conferences for employees between 2010 and 2012, a House committee said Sunday...."

Source: www.ajc.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Postal Service official has been sentenced to 18 months in prison

Article Title: Va. Postal Official Sentenced for Taking Bribes
Snippet of Article: "...Forty-eight-year-old Gene Quarles of Spotsylvania pleaded guilty earlier this year in federal court in Alexandria to bribery of a public official. Prosecutors had sought a two-year sentence...."

Source: abcnews.go.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

NASA and Google team-up on quantum computing

Article Title: Nasa buys into 'quantum' computer
Snippet of Article: "...Google wants to use the facility at Nasa's Ames Research Center in California to find out how quantum computing might advance techniques of machine learning and artificial intelligence, including voice recognition. ..."

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Bleeding federal employees to reduce budgets

Article Title: Furloughs Only The Latest Blow To Federal Worker Morale
Snippet of Article: "..."You know what's sad?" the colleague said, according to Gibson. "That this place doesn't care about employee morale." Gibson, who is local president of the National Treasury Employees Union, says the attitude starts with politicians in Washington and trickles down...."

Source: www.npr.org

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Please sign the petition to save the Postal Service - postal workers are asking for your help

Re-establish overnight delivery standards for first-class mail, which would ensure the timely delivery of mail, help keep mail processing facilities open, and protect jobs

Article Title: Sign the Petition to Save the Postal Service
Snippet of Article: "...The APWU is asking union members and supporters to sign an online petition urging the White House to Save the Postal Service and Save American Jobs by supporting the Postal Service Protection Act (H.R. 630 in the House / S. 316 in the Senate)...."

Source: www.apwu.org

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Former federal worker charged with helping Cuba spy on U.S.

Article Title: Former federal employee charged in Cuba spy conspiracy case
Snippet of Article: "..."Beginning in or about 1983, Velazquez conspired with others to transmit to the Cuban government and its agents documents and information relating to the U.S. national defense..."

Source: www.cnn.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

USPS ricin update - Ricin laced mail incident sparked by facebook drama

Article Title: Mississippi men's feud looms over ricin probe
Snippet of Article: "...authorities must now figure out if an online feud between the two men might have escalated into something more sinister...."

Source: www.ctpost.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Deadly poison ricin mailed to U.S. Senator

Article Title: Envelope tests positive for ricin at Washington mail facility
Snippet of Article: "...An envelope that tested positive for the deadly poison ricin was intercepted Tuesday afternoon at the U.S. Capitol's off-site mail facility in Washington, congressional and law enforcement sources tell CNN...."

Source: www.cnn.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

1 percent raise proposed for federal employees in 2014

Article Title: Obama proposes 1 percent raise for federal employees
Snippet of Article: "...The raise would be the first increase in basic pay rates since they were frozen beginning in 2011...."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, 2014 federal employee pay raise, [/tag]

DOD awards new contracts while furloughs loom

Article Title: Federal workers union furious over DOD contracts
Snippet of Article: "...Defense Department awarded tens of billions in new military contracts last month even as Pentagon leaders finalized plans to furlough up to 700,000 civilian employees..."

Source: www.stripes.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Budget savings through increased charges to federal employees

Article Title: Obama to propose $35 billion in federal retirement program savings
Snippet of Article: "...the retirement proposals a “betrayal” by the administration on the heels of the already enacted contributions increase, the salary rate freeze and sequestration cuts that threaten unpaid furloughs starting soon...."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]

Army civilian employee shot at Fort Knox

Article Title: Army employee shot, killed at Fort Knox
Snippet of Article: "...An Army civilian employee was shot and killed in a parking lot at Kentucky's Fort Knox on Wednesday..."

Source: www.cbsnews.com

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]