The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

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An IG audit found the VA tool used to determine police staffing levels had serious gaps Jul 17, 2026

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The VA’s inspector general found that a tool designed to determine police staffing levels lacked validation, clear ownership and consistent use. Those very common problems left facilities without a dependable model to guide their planning and coverage. Joining me to discuss the findings and what happens next is the VA’s inspector general, Cheryl Mason.

Read the report here: https://www.vaoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2026-06/vaoig_25-00523-82_final.pdf

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The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, July 17, 2026 Jul 17, 2026

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Today on "The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton"

The VA wanted a consistent way to determine police staffing levels. An inspector general audit found important gaps in the tool meant to make that happen
Runways, hangars, seawalls, and military facilities all start with the same thing: concrete. A former Air Force commander says that's worth paying attention

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SDA resumes satellite launches after months-long pause Jul 16, 2026

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The Space Development Agency is resuming deployments of its proliferated satellite constellation. The agency had to slow down the pace of its launches due to some technical issues but its third in the series of Tranche One launches is now scheduled for July 16. Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis has more.

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Democrats demand transparency from White House on Schedule Policy/Career Jul 16, 2026

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Dozens of House and Senate Democrats are demanding answers from the Trump administration on its implementation of Schedule Policy/Career. A letter sent to the White House this week calls for details about exactly how many positions have been reclassified and whether there are plans to add to the list of those stripped of their civil service protections. Here with more, Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman.

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Can the Pentagon's contracting system keep pace with the demands of today's battlefield Jul 16, 2026

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Modern warfare puts a premium on speed. A new report argues that when the Pentagon can move quickly from identifying a need to fielding a solution, it can have a direct impact on military effectiveness. For more details, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Stephanie Halcrow, senior fellow at George Mason University's Center for Government Contracting.

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The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Thursday, July 17, 2026 Jul 16, 2026

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Today on "The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton"

The Navy wants a larger fleet, but it's not clear that America's shipyards, suppliers and workforce can deliver it
Do the assumptions behind the Navy's new shipbuilding plan still fit today's strategic environment?
Modern conflicts move quickly. A new report examines whether the Pentagon's contracting system can keep pace with the demands of today's battlefield

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The Navy wants a larger fleet, but it's not clear that America's shipyards, suppliers and workforce can deliver it Jul 16, 2026

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The Navy's latest shipbuilding plan lays out an ambitious vision for future fleet growth. But every plan ultimately runs into the realities of industrial capacity, skilled labor and production timelines. Some analysts say those constraints deserve as much attention as the size of the fleet. Here to discuss whether the Navy is planning a fleet it can’t produce, for a fight it may not fit is the Jeanne Kirkpatrick Fellow at AEI, Anand Toprani.

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Pentagon suspends CMMC phase two requirements, launches review of program Jul 15, 2026

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The Defense Department is pausing the roll-out of contractor cybersecurity requirements. DoD’s top IT official says the current iteration of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program is too onerous on small businesses. She’s now leading a review of the CMMC program to consider the next steps. For the latest, Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday joins me.

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A surge in publicly available data and AI tools is allowing adversaries to target federal missions Jul 15, 2026

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Adversaries are using open source information to target federal missions. That’s partly because of a surge in publicly available data and AI tools that can make use of that data more quickly than ever. But agencies can use the same kinds of information to help defend themselves through the tradecraft of open source intelligence. Gharun Lacy is the deputy assistant secretary for cyber and technology security at the State Department, and Eric Miller is a senior advisor for open source intelligence at the Defense Intelligence Agency. They talked about OSINT with Federal News Network’s Jason Miller. Lacy speaks first.

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Before policymakers can improve border security, they need confidence in how they're measuring it Jul 15, 2026

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Border security may be one of government's most visible missions but measuring what's happening along the border is far more complicated. A new GAO report examines whether DHS's metrics and reporting practices are giving Congress an accurate picture of performance. The short answer; not consistently, and Heather MacLeod, Director of Homeland Security and Justice at GAO is here to walk us through the details.

Read the reporter here: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-108715

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