House lawmakers ask VA to delay expansion into private sector, citing IT issues

By NIKKI WENTLING | STARS AND STRIPES

Published: April 2, 2019

WASHINGTON – House lawmakers suggested Tuesday that Department of Veterans Affairs officials postpone a major expansion of veterans’ access to private-sector doctors, following warnings that its information technology system is flawed and could disrupt patient care.

The department is working toward a June 6 deadline to implement a new community care program for VA patients that was mandated by Congress under the VA Mission Act, a major reform bill. The program aims to replace the much-maligned Veterans Choice Program, which has been in place since 2014.

The U.S. Digital Service – a White House team of software developers that helps federal agencies improve their technology – recommended last month that the VA stop developing its IT system for the new program, which it described as flawed, with the potential to create confusion and disruption for veterans and VA doctors.

“I believe in taking the time to get things right,” said Rep. Phil Roe of Tennessee, the ranking Republican on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. “I would rather VA postpone implementation of this program than to rush to implementation in name only and have veterans pay the price for it.”

MOAR: https://www.stripes.com/house-lawmakers-ask-va-to-delay-expansion-into-private-sector-citing-it-issues-1.575407

Typical Dems continue to make Vets wait.

Missile-tracking aircraft arrives on Okinawa amid fears N. Korea may lift testing moratorium

By MATTHEW M. BURKE AND AYA ICHIHASHI | STARS AND STRIPES

Published: April 2, 2019

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — A U.S. reconnaissance aircraft that specializes in surveilling and collecting data on ballistic missiles has arrived on Okinawa amid fears that North Korea may be planning to resume test launches.

An Air Force RC-135S Cobra Ball landed at Kadena Air Base on Saturday evening, according to Satoru Kuba, an Okinawan who monitors military aircraft traffic for Japan’s Fuji Television. The 135-foot-long, Cold War-era aircraft was parked in a hangar and was still at Kadena as of Tuesday.

North Korea has rebuilt a launch site at Sohae that it had partially dismantled as part of disarmament steps last year, according to recent satellite images. However, the Cobra Ball’s deployment could also be related to flooding at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., where the Air Force’s three Cobra Ball aircraft are permanently based.

All Cobra Balls are operated by the Air Force’s 55th Wing and manned by crews from the 45th Reconnaissance and 97th Intelligence squadrons, according to an Air Force website.

MOAR: https://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/missile-tracking-aircraft-arrives-on-okinawa-amid-fears-n-korea-may-lift-testing-moratorium-1.575287

Russian spy plane is being allowed to photograph US military sites

(Tribune News Service) — A Russian surveillance jet based out of Travis Air Force Base in northern California has been enjoying access to restricted air space that are off limits to U.S. passenger planes since last week.

In turn, Russia has allowed U.S. spy planes to fly over its nation’s most sensitive military bases.

The arrangement is in accordance with the Treaty on Open Skies, according to CBS Sacramento, which has spotted the Russian jets doing their part. The 27-year-old peacekeeping effort allows each country to monitor the other’s military assets. The transparency agreement extends to 32 other nations.

MOAR: https://www.stripes.com/news/us/russian-spy-plane-is-being-allowed-to-photograph-us-military-sites-1.575392

Army: 25 percent of mustard agent at Pueblo Chemical Depot destroyed

By PETER ROPER | The Pueblo Chieftain | Published: April 2, 2019

PUEBLO, Colo. (Tribune News Service) — One quarter of all the mustard agent stored in old Cold War-era weapons at the Pueblo Chemical Depot has now been destroyed, officials announced this week.

The weapons — old 155 mm and 105 mm howitzer shells, plus mortar rounds — are being dismantled and destroyed at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant and Army officials announced this week that 112,400 of the 155 mm rounds have been destroyed.

They contained more than 600 tons of mustard agent, roughly one-quarter of all the mustard agent that is stored at the depot in old munitions.

"With the destruction of each 155 mm munition, we also eliminate 11.7 pounds of mustard agent," said Walton Levi, the acting site project manager, in a statement this week.

MOAR: https://www.stripes.com/news/us/army-25-percent-of-mustard-agent-at-pueblo-chemical-depot-destroyed-1.575423

Now they need to destroy everything at Blue Grass Army Depot.

Chinese woman carrying malware allegedly got into Mar-a-Lago

By TERRY SPENCER | Associated Press | Published: April 2, 2019

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A woman carrying two Chinese passports and a device containing computer malware lied to Secret Service agents and briefly gained admission to President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club over the weekend during his Florida visit, federal prosecutors allege in court documents.

Yujing Zhang, 32, approached a Secret Service agent at a checkpoint outside the Palm Beach club early Saturday afternoon and said she was a member who wanted to use the pool, court documents said. She showed the passports as identification.

Agents say she wasn't on the membership list, but a club manager thought Zhang was the daughter of a member. Agents say that when they asked Zhang if the member was her father, she did not answer definitively but they thought it might be a language barrier and admitted her.

Zhang's story changed when she got inside, agents say, telling a front desk receptionist she was there to attend the United Nations Chinese American Association event scheduled for that evening. No such event was scheduled and agents were summoned.

MOAR: https://www.stripes.com/news/us/chinese-woman-carrying-malware-allegedly-got-into-mar-a-lago-1.575414

>>6027294

>>6027350

>>6027396

Yes, very vague and something to ponder

>>6027407

You first

>>6027449

It's getting real