Federal employees are targets of cybercrime for the information and systems they have access to, who they know, and how much personal information they innocently make visible online.

Retired Secret Service cyber expert Matt O’Neill and retired Homeland Security Investigations cyber leader Sean Fitzgerald explain

1. how criminals “hack the human,”
2. why urgency is one of their most powerful weapons, and
3. how AI is changing the game.

Plus, the experts share the scams that fooled even them, and the simple steps feds can take to make themselves harder targets.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Open Season around the corner, this episode of Fed Thread features David Yoder, SVP of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program, explaining

• where cost, value, and predictability intersect;
• the multiple ways you can access care;
• how to make the most of your benefits year-round; and
• how preventive care is one of the most overlooked means to save money and protect your health.

From routine checkups to managing blood pressure and blood glucose, taking action early comes with discounts, rewards and incentives for federal employees, while helping avoid bigger problems—and potentially bigger bills—down the road.

There’s a lot to take advantage of, so don’t wait until the last week of Open Season to watchthis one.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal employees may have steady jobs and benefits, but that doesn’t make them immune to financial emergencies.

On this episode, Robyn Kehoe, Executive Director of the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund (FEEA), joins Fed Thread to talk about the hidden financial vulnerabilities facing federal workers, and why the people who spend their careers helping others can be especially reluctant to ask for help themselves.

You’ll hear what FEEA can help with, what stays private, how its emergency hardship and disaster assistance programs work, and how coworkers and managers can recognize when someone may be struggling—even when they’re trying hard not to show it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your rank, title and agency may be impressive, but outside of government,your accomplishments and accolades may not translate directly into clear business value for non-federal employers.

In this episode, Misty Cook, retired Marine officer and founder and CEO of Next COC, joined Fed Thread to explain why senior military and civilian leaders should start planning their next professional chapter years before they retire. She shares how to:

• build a network before you need it,
• translate government accomplishments into language the private sector understands,
• develop a personal brand without becoming a cliché, and
• figure out what you truly want to do next.

If you have no intention of federal retirement being your final retirement, give this episode a watch.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal retirement has felt increasingly uncertain in recent years. Proposed benefit changes, shifting policies, agency upheaval and a constant stream of headlines can make it hard to know what you should listen to and what’s just noise.

On this episode of Fed Thread, John Hatton, staff vice president of policy and programs at NARFE, explains how federal retirement changes happen, which threats deserve your attention, and when a headline should (and shouldn’t) change your retirement strategy.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Retirement Day is supposed to be the finish line. Yet federal employees may discover some of the biggest financial surprises come after they leave.

On this episode, Fed Thread brings back James Campbell of FEBA, Katelyn Murray of Serving Those Who Serve, and Chris Campbell of CJC Wealth Management and DC SOFA to pull the thread on the hidden traps and overlooked opportunities facing feds who are about to retire or have already left federal service.

The panel gets into challenges nobody necessarily warns you about, like:

• delays in your first pension payment
• unexpected tax consequences
• Social Security timing
• Medicare costs
• survivor benefits and
• becoming too conservative with your investments

Are you saving so aggressively for retirement that you risk missing some of the best years to enjoy it?

You’ll want to hear what the experts are saying on this episode, where the conversation starts after the farewell party.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a financial landscape where many things are changing, some of the old assumptions about federal retirement strategy may no longer serve you. On this episode of Fed Thread, James Campbell of FEBA, Katelyn Murray of Serving Those Who Serve, and Chris Campbell of CJC Wealth Management and DCSOFA help tomorrow’s federal retirees rethink the assumptions that can cost them later on.

What can you control when it comes to building your retirement? This panel of experts tackles that very question.

If retirement is still years away, this is an episode you’ll want to hear.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Continuing education, reskilling and upskilling are buzzwords feds hear often, and whether it's mandatory training, maintaining certifications, leadership development, or just staying current in their field, learning has become a constant throughout a federal career. Management Concepts’ Scott Boozer and Jen Wood joined Fed Thread to add context and insight to

• what successful professional development looks like in the federal government,
• how to avoid career stagnation, and
• why your next promotion won’t come from experience alone.

Don’t get stranded on a career plateau. Check out this episode if you want to keep growing —not just keep showing up.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Fed Thread, leaders from the Training Officers Consortium, Graduate School USA, and FranklinCovey look at how federal employees are evolving with AI to stay relevant in an era of rapid workplace technology changes and shifting responsibilities.

You’ll learn

• how to tell a worthwhile learning opportunity from just another credential,
• what agencies are getting wrong about AI training, and
• if anyone can actually ever ‘future-proof’ their career.

If you’re not entirely sure what your role will look like in the next few years, this conversation is for you.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Fed Thread, Wilder Smith, national security professional and author of After the Badge: the federal retiree’s field manual for identity, marriage and the life you didn’t plan for, spoke about retirement identity cliff and what federal service can’t prepare you for, including

-retirement’s unexpected emotional challenges,

-the loss of purpose that can follow, and

-how to reinvent yourself and find meaning after federal service.

You may recognize someone you know—or even yourself—in this conversation.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.