The Pentagon has named John James to lead the Congressionally directed effort to return civilians incorporated under the National Security Personnel System back to pre-NSPS personnel systems by 2012. Congress repealed the NSPS with the 2010 defense authorization act. According to the DOD announcement, James, who had been serving as a senior executive with Naval Sea Systems Command, will “oversee the design and implementation of an enterprise-wide performance management system, hiring flexibilities, and a DOD Workforce Incentive Fund.” The announcement also noted that the process would proceed “deliberately and cautiously, without unnecessary delay.”
This year’s Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting buzzed with talk of countering the rapidly evolving drone threat facing the entire U.S. military, including the Air Force. Leaders and defense industry officials discussed the need for new approaches to procurement and employment of a new class of these…