Federal Daily - August 19, 2009

DoD Launches New Web Portal

DoD on Aug. 17 announced the launch of a new home page, www.Defense.gov, that features a user-friendly design intended to make military news and information more accessible. The new Web site provides easy access to media that are most sought by DoD Web site visitors, including DoD social media sites, the Pentagon Channel and DoD news stories. The new home page highlights a new “We Want to Hear From You” feature that gives users the opportunity to ask questions of DoD leaders, vote on policy issues they wish to have explained, and explore frequently asked questions and answers, the department said. The new site replaces www.DefenseLink.mil as the department’s main Internet entry portal. DefenseLink will remain a news Web site and may be accessed from Defense.gov, the department said. To see more, go to: www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12902.

:: Back to Top ::

NTSB Strikes NATCA as Party to Hudson River Crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Aug. 17 removed the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) as a party to the investigation into the Aug. 8 midair collision of two aircraft over the Hudson River that killed all nine aboard. Under NTSB rules, parties assisting in investigations agree to not reveal investigative information they learn, nor publicly comment on it. Parties also agree that only NTSB will release factual information on the progress of the investigation. NTSB said that NATCA broke that agreement, twice, with an Aug. 14 press conference and a subsequent one Aug. 17. NATCA, which had been assisting in the investigation, had complained that NTSB had mischaracterized the sequence of events that led to the crash, unfairly assigning responsibilities to a Teterboro, N.J., controller. In terminating the agreement, NTSB did acknowledge that there had been “conflicting interpretations of factual information released by the NTSB” last week. “Although we appreciate the technical expertise our parties provide during the course of an investigation,” NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman said, “it is counterproductive when an organization breaches the party agreement and publicly interprets or comments on factual information generated by that investigation.” To see more, go to: www.ntsb.gov/Pressrel/2009/090817a.html or www.natca.org/mediacenter/press-release-detail.aspx?id=625.

:: Back to Top ::