Three appellate court judges in the District of Columbia began hearing arguments this week in the dispute between DOD and the American Federation of Government Employees over the labor relations portion of the National Security Personnel System. An earlier decision sided with the union and so did Congress when it prohibited DOD from using 2007 funds to cover NSPS labor relations actions, pending the appeal verdict—which could be a long time coming.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Jan. 15 as the two nations look to further solidify their ties in the face of growing Chinese and North Korean threats.
