Government Matters

Brett Mansfield, special assistant to the Department of Defense inspector general, discussed the top 10 management challenges for DoD in 2017.

Dakota Wood, senior research fellow for defense programs at The Heritage Foundation,

discussed his list of priorities for the defense budget in fiscal year 2018.

U.S. News & World Report national security correspondent Paul Shinkman and Washington Examiner defense correspondent Jacqueline Klimas discussed Base Realignment and Closure talk on Capitol Hill, the future of women in combat, and Heather Wilson -- President Trump's nominee to serve as Secretary of the Air Force.

Dan Blair, former deputy director at the Office of Personnel Management, discussed the federal hiring freeze just signed by President Trump.

Sonny Hashmi, managing director of global government at Box, discussed a new report on the state of federal IT published by the CIO Council.

Louis LaBreque, senior reporter at Bloomberg BNA, discussed the communications clampdown by the Trump administration at agencies within the departments of Transportation, Agriculture, and Interior.

Kim Weaver, director of external affairs at the Thrift Savings Plan, gives the latest details from TSP's monthly board meeting.

Ari Schwartz, managing director of cybersecurity services at Venable and former director of cybersecurity at the White House, discusses OMB's latest guidance for agencies to deal with cyber breaches.

Susan Dudley, director of the Regulatory Studies Center at George Washington University, discusses the move by the Trump administration to begin the effort of cutting back government regulations.

Dr. Zina Sutch, director of diversity and inclusion at OPM, discusses her offices the ongoing efforts to make diversity and inclusion initiatives more widespread throughout government.

Defense reporter at Federal News Radio Scott Maucione discusses a major proposed change by the Defense Department to reserve benefit system.

Eric Crusius, counsel at Miles & Stockbridge, discusses several executive orders affecting the contracting community put in place by President Obama, that could be reversed under President Trump.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency finds itself at an information crossroads. GEOINT -- a field formerly dominated by the Intelligence Community -- has been democratized.

That democratization has added a dimension to the agency's mission, according to NGA Director Robert Cardillo.

"Just as we provide an expert service about what we can learn, we also need to provide a defense if you will -- or protection -- against others who would use those same sources against us," Cardillo said.

Democratized GEOINT data is also resulting in a new era of openness at NGA, and simultaneously fostering more competition and cooperation with the private sector.

NGA chief of mainstreaming capabilities Col. Mark DiPaolo said, ultimately, that data revolution will re-shape both classified and unclassified systems.

"The idea that you can do things differently business-wise and technology-wise is what we're trying to grow across the enterprise," DiPaolo said.

This month, NGA gave Government Matters unprecedented access to their state-of-the-art headquarters in Springfield, Va.

Click the play icon to listen to a special edition of GM, "Inside the NGA."

Gen. Larry Spencer (USAF, ret.), president of the Air Force Association, discusses why the F-35 program is so important to our nation's security.

Katherine Kidder, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security, discusses the challenges facing defense secretary nominee Gen. James Mattis (USMC, ret.), and what the pillars of his policy agenda will be.

The Obama administration's cyber legacy

Joseph Marks, cybersecurity correspondent at NextGov, discusses the good and the bad of the Obama administration's cyber legacy.

Nani Coloretti, deputy secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, discusses priority goals at HUD, and how the agency is weathering the presidential transition.

Gene Dodaro, U.S. Comptroller General and head of the Government Accountability Office, discusses his office's report, "The Nation's Fiscal Health: Action is Needed to Address the Federal Government's Fiscal Future."

Nick Nayak, former chief procurement officer at Department of Homeland Security and president of Green Light Acquisition, discusses how the way industry does business with the government could change in the Trump administration.

Frank Konkel, senior technology editor for the Government Executive Media Group, discussed the Government Accountability Office's decision to deny protests of the Alliant 2 contract.

Rear Adm. Jamie Barnett (USN, ret.), partner in Venable's cybersecurity practice, discussed the people tapped as cyber advisors to President-elect Donald Trump.

Robert Shea, a principal at Grant Thornton Public Sector, discussed the flurry of activity in Congress around management and workforce practices at federal agencies.

Maria Horton, president and CEO at Emesec, discusses President-Elect Trump’s call for a 90-day plan to stop or slow cyber attacks.

April Chen, senior products manager for government services at Iron Mountain, discusses the email management deadline for

agencies, and the future of records management.

Cameron Leuthy, senior defense and budget analyst at Bloomberg Government, discusses the timeline of President-Elect Trump’s 2018 budget request.

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force for manpower, personnel and services Lieutenant General Gina Grosso, discussses the Air Force's plan to hire up to 4,000 new airmen, and what challenges that entails.

Marjorie Censer, defense business editor at Inside Defense, discusses the White House's focus on the defense industrial base.

Stan Soloway, president and CEO of Celero Strategies, LLC., discusses the potential picks for Deputy Secretary of Defense, and why the leading candidate might look familiar to folks at the Pentagon.