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FederalDaily - March 13, 2007

Army Surgeon General Tenders Resignation

Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, commanding general of Army Medical Command, this weekend submitted his resignation—a move he said “is in the best interest of the Army.” Kiley is the latest top Army official to step down in the wake of recent revelations of poor quality of care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Kiley delivered his request March 11 to Acting Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, who immediately ordered the assembly of the advisory board that will recommend replacement candidates from the Army Medical Department. The board likely will meet in April. After selection, the candidate will need to gain presidential approval and the confirmation of the Senate. In the interim, Deputy Surgeon General Maj. Gen. Gale Pollock has assumed the duties of Surgeon General. http://www.army.mil/-newsreleases/2007/03/12/2216-army-surgeon-general-submits-retirement-request/.

AFGE Slams DHS Personnel System Move

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) was sharply critical of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) decision to implement the adverse actions and appeals parts of its new personnel system after the program was rebuked in the courtroom. AFGE said on March 9 that it had received notice that DHS planned to implement the adverse actions and appeals portion of the system formerly known as MaxHR—but now called the Human Capital Operational Plan or HCOP—to “all bargaining unit members.” AFGE President John Gage pointed out that the disputed regulations “were found to undermine the fundamental principles of fairness and due process for DHS employees” under a ruling issued by U.S. District Court Judge Rosemary Collyer. Although the stay Collyer imposed was overturned on appeal, the higher court left unchanged her determination that the adverse actions and appeals regulations were unfair, Gage said. “Once again, the top management at DHS has demonstrated its utter disdain for its employees,” Gage said. “This is more than just a bad judgment call. It’s a critical mistake that will take its toll on DHS, its employees, and ultimately the security of this nation.” To see more, go to: www.afge.org/index.cfm?page=PressReleases&PressReleaseID=714

VA Official Defends Records Decision

Reacting to congressional criticism, a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official testified that concerns over logistics—and not bureaucratic bungling—led his agency to drop plans to consolidate medical records with those of DoD. Michael Kussman, VA’s acting undersecretary for health, said a database developed in 2003 could not be ramped up to handle the load of coordinating healthcare records between DoD and the VA’s vast network of 1,400 hospitals and clinics. In testimony March 8 before the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Kussman noted that the arm of the VA that administers financial payments—such as disability compensation—developed a database to track the benefits of seriously injured servicemembers as they move from the military and into VA. “The VA employees who worked on the database hoped that it could evolve to meet our healthcare management needs,” Kussman said. “Unfortunately, it could not.” He said VA and DoD are working on a new management tool to track injured servicemembers as they move from the military into the VA system. To see more, go to: http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1309

Bill Would Provide Free Mail for Military Families

Rep. Vito Fossella, R-N.Y., introduced legislation to provide military families with free mail privileges to send letters and “care packages” to soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as to those hospitalized due to injury or disease. The bill, introduced March 9, would provide a monthly voucher to cover the full cost of mailing one package of up to 15 lbs. to a servicemember. Fossella said he drafted the legislation in response to complaints from military families who said it was becoming too costly for them to send regular care packages to their loved ones overseas. Fossella said it is common for a typical family to spend at least $1,500 annually on postage for care packages—which often consist of necessities like shampoo, cookies, powder, blankets, phone cards and toothpaste. “This is a simple way to bring a touch of home to America’s heroes overseas,” Fossella said. To see more, go to: www.house.gov/list/press/ny13_fossella/070309_milmail.html