Federal Daily - September 19, 2008
ATF to Revise Tracking Procedures in Wake of IG Report
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on Sept. 17 said it is revising procedures for reporting losses of weapons and computers in the wake of a Department of Justice Inspector General (IG) audit that found slipshod tracking of those losses. For the audit, the IG assessed the adequacy of ATF’s response to items identified as lost, stolen or missing—and the effectiveness of the agency’s internal controls over those items. The review, which covered the period from Oct. 1, 2002 to Aug. 21, 2007, found that 76 weapons and 418 laptop computers were lost, stolen or missing from the bureau during the past five years. The ATF rate of weapons lost per month nearly tripled from 2002, and the loss rate of laptop computers was about 50 times higher. ATF officials told the IG that the higher computer loss rate was the result of the bureau adjusting for earlier inaccurate estimates in its 2002 audit. The IG also found serous deficiencies in ATF’s response to lost items. Of the 418 missing computers, ATF did not document what was contained on 398 machines, the IG said. Without such documentation, the IG noted, the bureau cannot provide assurances that the computers did not contain sensitive information. Also, ATF did not maintain accurate, updated property management records and did not properly document the disposal of weapons or computers. In a Sept. 17 statement, the agency said it will issue a memorandum to all employees as a reminder of their responsibility to account for losses in a timely manner. To see more, go to: www.atf.gov/press/2008press/091708atf_response_to_oig.pdf or www.usdoj.gov/oig/reports/ATF/a0829/final.pdf.
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Air Force Releases SRB List; Most Will Get Larger Bonuses
The Air Force on Sept. 15 released an updated Selective Reenlistment Bonus (SRB) list that contains Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) multipliers which will mean higher reenlistment bonuses for most airmen. The new SRB list contains 88 Air Force specialties, which includes all 37 specialties that received bonuses under the current bonus list, plus an additional 51. Compared to those who re-enlisted under the current program, most airmen will receive higher bonuses, although a few may receive the same amount, the Air Force said. The AFSC is an alphanumeric code used by the Air Force to identify an Air Force Specialty, similar to the Military Occupation Specialty used by the Army and Marines. To see more, go to: www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123115571.
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Senate Passes Veterans Benefits Bill
The Senate unanimously passed a $169 million veterans benefits bill (S.3023) on Sept. 16 that is designed to enhance compensation, housing, labor, education, and insurance benefits for veterans. The bill, the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act, would simplify the claims assistance process for vets claiming disabilities by providing a meaningful notice of the information and evidence needed to substantiate a claim, said Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. It also would enhance home loan refinancing options and extend the increase in the maximum VA loan guaranty. Additionally, the bill would improve vets’ access to the court system, and update rules that cover veterans’ rights to return to work, Akaka said. The bill would require every federal agency to provide training to human resources personnel on the employment and reemployment rights of feds under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act when they leave their positions to undertake military service. The bill now moves to the House. To see more, go to: http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=
PressReleases.Home&month=9&year=2008&release_id=2378.
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FEEA Seeks Donations for Feds Affected by Storms
The Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund (FEEA), which sponsors a program to provide temporary assistance to federal employees affected by disaster, this week said it had exhausted its financial resources in the wake of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. As of Sept. 17, the group had distributed about $240,000 in grant checks to more than 600 federal workers affected by the storms, with more victims seeking assistance. The group, whose programs are funded almost exclusively by contributions from federal employees, said it received some temporary relief through a $100,000 donation from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program—but that it now needs additional contributions to satisfy the wave of incoming requests for aid. FEEA raised $1.4 million in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but said it has experienced a “tepid” response after the recent storms. The group anticipates as much as $1.5 million in total assistance requests to pour in from federal employees as a result of the two hurricanes. For more information on how and where to contribute, go to: www.feea.org.
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