News Archives

2007

March 26, 2007, FCW.com
2007 Federal 100 Winners: Dennis Wisnosky
Dennis Wisnosky, chief technology officer at the Business Transformation Agency, led the effort to standardize and modernize federated architectures in the Defense Department. Drawing on decades of experience, Wisnosky oversaw DOD's business enterprise architecture program.

March 22, 2007, DefenseLink.com by Gerry J. Gilmore
Najaf Factory to Make Garments for U.S., International Retailers
A garment factory in Najaf, Iraq, will start supplying clothes to U.S. and international retailers in a few months, a senior U.S. official said in Baghdad yesterday.

March 18, 2007, Stillwater (Okla.) News-Press by Sean Hubbard
Oklahoma State faculty member says he brings some good news from Iraq
Dr. David Henneberry, director of International Agricultural Programs at Oklahoma State University and a part of the Task Force to Support Business and Stability Operations in Iraq, said he has some good news from that country.

March 12, 2007, FCW.com by Josh Rogin
Fisher Searches for the Optimal Organization
Different worlds is how David Fisher compares his past life as a Silicon Valley management consultant with his new role as director of the Business Transformation Agency, the Defense Department's lead agency for organizational change. Fisher and Paul Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of Defense for business transformation, created BTA according to management principles they developed when they worked together in California in the private sector.

March 6, 2007, KRG.org
US officials visit Kurdistan to promote Iraq’s business gateway
Paul Brinkley, US Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Business Transformation, on Thursday visited the Kurdistan Region with a delegation to explore ways to attract business to Kurdistan and other parts of Iraq.

March 5, 2007, MNF-Iraq.com, by Army Spc. Emily Greene
Iraqi business works with Brinkley, American CEOs for successful economic future
A press conference was held Saturday at Camp Victory to discuss efforts made towards the reinvigoration of Iraqi economics.

March 4. 2007, Agence France-Presse
Industry being revitalised in Iraq: US official
Industry is being revitalised in Iraq, despite the raging violence, and creating lucrative openings for entrepreneurs brave enough to do business here, a top US official insists.

March 4, 2007, AlJazeera.net
US aims to attract business to Iraq
The Pentagon's deputy under secretary for business is touring Iraq with about 45 US business figures looking at ways to restart businesses crippled by the US-led invasion of 2003.

February 25, 2007, Marine Corps News, by Cpl. Andrew Kalwitz
Business reps provide economic advice in Iraq
Business representatives from the United States arrived here Feb. 25 as their first stop on a nine day trip to gain an understanding of Iraq's economic status and potentially offer a hand in its rebuilding.

February 23, 2007, DefenseNews.com by John T. Bennett
DoD Business Transformation Agency Gets Director, Aims to Stay Afloat in 2009
The first director of the Pentagon’s Defense Business Transformation Agency says his top goal is making sure his agency survives the coming of a new presidential administration in early 2009. David Fisher's appointment was announced Feb. 22. Fisher has been the acting director of the shop since last October. Pentagon officials selected Fisher because he "has dozens of years of external experience," Paul Brinkley, undersecretary of defense for business transformation, told reporters Feb. 22.

February 22, 2007, FCW.com by Josh Rogin
Business Transformation Agency Names First Director
Two years after the creation of the Defense Department’s Business Transformation Agency, David Fisher has been named the agency’s first official director. Fisher will provide the continuity needed to shepherd BTA into the next administration, officials said today.

January 29, 2007, London (England) Star-Telegraph by Aqeel Hussein and Colin Freeman
US to reopen Iraq's factories in $10m U-turn
US officials in Iraq are planning to re-open lumbering state industries set up as part of Saddam Hussein's command economy in an attempt to bring jobs to the country's most troubled areas.

January 19, 2007, Operation Iraqi Freedom by Spc. Carl N. Hudson
Iraqi economy restoration remains hopeful after evaluation
The U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Business Transformation, Paul A. Brinkley, held a press conference concerning the status of the Iraqi economy at the Combined Press Information Center in the International Zone Thursday afternoon.

January 19, 2007, MNF-Iraq.com
U.S. Government Official Talks Economic Development With Iraqi Leaders
The U.S. Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Business Transformation Paul A. Brinkley met with several Iraqi leaders and businessmen during a visit to a ceramics factory in the western district of Ar Ramadi Tuesday.

January 18, 2007, DefenseLink.mil by Sgt. Sara Wood
U.S. Restoring Iraq Factories
In an effort to bolster Iraq’s economy and employ thousands of Iraqis, the United States is working to restart operations at several factories around the country.

January 18, 2007, Reuters.com by Claudia Parsons
U.S. aims to restart 10 Iraqi factories in weeks
U.S. officials have drawn up a list of 10 former state-run Iraqi factories they hope to restart within weeks to employ 11,000 people, kicking off a plan aimed at giving potential insurgents an economic reason not to fight.

January 18, 2007, New York Times by James Glanz
Iraq Factories, Aging and Shut, Now Give Hope
Inside a huge shuttered factory on the gritty western fringes of this outlaw desert town, thousands of ornate porcelain sinks, toilets and other fixtures sit in row after row next to the automated ovens and assembly lines that once churned out the products but lie silent under a thin film of yellow desert dust.

January 16, 2007, DefendAmerica.mil by Spc. Joshua R. Ford
Undersecretary Tours Salah Ad Din Fertilizer Plant
Paul A. Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of defense for Business Transformation, and Brig. Gen. Francis Wiercinski, 25th Infantry Division deputy commanding general of Support, along with more than a dozen world industry executives met with Riyad Aldahas, Director General of the State Company of Fertilizers in Northern Iraq, Jan. 10, 2007, at the Bayji Fertilizer Plant to discuss bringing the plant’s production back to full capacity in order to support agricultural needs throughout Salah ad Din Province.

January 14, 2007, Washington Post by Rajiv Chandrasekaran
On Iraq, U.S. Turns To Onetime Dissenters
Timothy M. Carney went to Baghdad in April 2003 to run Iraq's Ministry of Industry and Minerals. Unlike many of his compatriots in the Green Zone, the rangy, retired American ambassador wasn't fazed by chaos.

January 12, 2007, Wall Street Journal by Newt Gingrich and Rudy Giuliani
Getting Iraq to Work
The American mission in Iraq must succeed. Our goal -- promoting a stable, accountable democracy in the heart of the Middle East -- cannot be achieved by purely military means.

January 9, 2007, United Press International by Pamela Hess
Analysis: Restarting Iraq's factories
When then-viceroy Paul Bremer took over the civilian administration of Iraq in 2003, he had an intricate plan to transform the state-owned socialist economy into a beacon of free enterprise in the heart of the Middle East ... Three years on, a small Pentagon office has conceded the ideological battle for now and is attempting to restart the state-owned enterprises.

January 7, 2007, GovExec.com by Katherine McIntire Peters
Known Unknowns
Defense Secretary Robert Gates faces two basic financial challenges: First, find a way to get the Democratically controlled Congress to continue to pay for operations in Iraq as support for the war erodes and the cost of maintaining and replacing damaged equipment spirals out of control; and second, demonstrate greater transparency and accountability for defense spending.

January 5, 2007, American Forces Press Service by Donna Miles
Task Force Helps Revitalize Iraq's Industries
A team of 25 industrial leaders and business analysts is headed to Iraq today to join 35 others already there working to get almost 200 idle Iraqi factories up and running.

2006

December 18, 2006, EStripes.com by Jeff Schogol
Soldiers, airmen will have online access to their personnel files in 2008
Beginning in fiscal 2008, soldiers and airmen will be able to view their pay and personnel records online, said Army Maj. Gen. Butch Pair, of the Defense Department’s Business Transformation Agency.

December 12, 2006, WashingtonPost.com by John White and Griff Witte
To Stem Iraqi Violence, U.S. Aims to Create Jobs
As Iraq descends further into violence and disarray, the Pentagon is turning to a weapon some believe should have been used years ago: jobs.

December 11, 2006, DefenseLink.mil by Sgt. Sara Wood
New Pay, Personnel System on Horizon for Troops
A new system coming in 2008 to the Army and Air Force will integrate pay and personnel and make life easier for servicemembers everywhere, the general in charge of the system’s deployment said.

November 28, 2006, GCN.com by Jason Miller
Army programs moving forward
Within the next six months, the Army will have a better idea of which of the approximately 60 legacy human resources systems will be shut down and which will be integrated with the Defense Department’s Integrated Military Human Resources System.

November 28, 2006, GCN.com by Dawn S. Olney
Fisher is acting BTA director
The Defense Department’s Business Transformation Agency has named David Fisher as its acting director.

November 21, 2006, Army News Service
DIMHRS brings self-service capabilities to Soldiers
The Army plans to transform the way it manages its human resources by launching the Defense Integrated Military Human Resources System in early 2008.

November 20, 2006, FCW.com by Josh Rogin
GAO: DOD needs chief management officer
The Defense Department needs a chief management officer (CMO) to coordinate its business transformation efforts and provide long-term leadership, according to the Government Accountability Office ... DOD has chosen to engrain transformation in organizations and programs rather than in a senior-level position, said Paul Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of Defense for business transformation.

November 6, 2006, GCN.com by Peter Buxbaum
DTS officials look down road
Executives of the Defense Travel System program office, its prime contractor and the Defense Department are defending the program against criticism from the Government Accountability Office.

October-December 2006, CHIPS by U.S. Army Major General Carlos "Butch" Pair
Technology and Systems Drive DoD Business Transformation
The purpose of Department of Defense business operations is to rapidly deliver the right capabilities, resources, and materiel to our warfighters: What they need, where they need it, when they need it, anywhere in the world.

October 23, 2006, GCN.com by Dawn S. Olney
BTA moves fast on online voting
The Office of the Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness needed a contract to augment features on the Federal Voting Assistance Program Web site, and needed it fast.

October 10, 2006, FederalTimes.com by Gordon Lubold
Officials tout Defense Travel System as much improved
The Defense Travel System, designed to make official travel management easy and efficient for Defense Department personnel and save taxpayer money, has been mired in controversy, but officials insist it is a valuable, one-stop service that will only get better.

October 9, 2006, Information Week by K.C. Jones
Software Aims To Speed Absentee Voting For Soldiers
Voting is expected to get easier for U.S. soldiers in war zones and military bases around the world through a new absentee voting software solution.

October 9, 2006, GCN.com by Dawn S. Olney
DOD’s BEA doesn’t rock the boat
You won’t find a lot of new content in the latest version of the Defense Department’s business enterprise architecture. And that’s by design.

October 9, 2006, FCW.com by Josh Rogin
BTA sets standards for transformation
One year after its formation, the Defense Department’s Business Transformation Agency (BTA) is eager to prove that it can produce results.

October 4, 2006, News Blaze by Gerry J. Gilmore
Defense Travel System evolves to better serve customers
The Defense Travel System continues to evolve as it efficiently serves military and civilian travelers on official department business, a senior military officer said Oct. 3.

September 29, 2006, GCN.com by Dawn S. Olney
DOD unveils latest enterprise transition plan
The Defense Department has unveiled to Congress Version 4.0 of its business enterprise architecture and its latest enterprise transition plan, which adds the Military Health System and a business framework that sets common business improvement areas to help tie together systems initiatives across the department.

September-October 2006, Defense AT&L by Paul K. Ketrick
Testing the Enterprise Risk Assessment Model
Envision gaining deeper insight into the risks associated with major automated information systems within the business mission area without asking program managers to create new artifacts … (extract from Defense AT&L magazine)

August 28, 2006, Government Computer News by Mark Tarallo
Defense gets better on business
With an operating budget in excess of $400 billion, and assets and liabilities that exceed those of Exxon, IBM, Ford and Wal-Mart combined, the sheer size of the Defense Department has created massive challenges for attempts to improve financial management.

July 31, 2006, Government Computer News by Peter A. Buxbaum
Defense BTA battles governance and culture
Thomas Modly, deputy undersecretary of Defense for financial management, surprised his audience at a recent conference when he claimed that intolerance is a desirable attribute for achieving business transformation.

July 24, 2006, FederalTimes.com by Alan Bentley
Transformation at Defense
Pentagon cleans up finances to serve the warfighter.

July 17, 2006, Government Computer News by Patience Wait
DOD plans to revamp Iraq contracting
The Defense Department is trying to bring contracting systems and processes in Iraq under tighter control.

July 8, 2006, Stars and Stripes, by Jeff Schogol
DOD wants to streamline Iraq contract process to boost reconstruction
The Defense Department wants to accelerate reconstruction efforts in Iraq by streamlining the process of awarding contracts.

July 7 , 2006, GovExec.com by Daniel Pulliam
Defense business agency gets Iraq contracting assignment
Less than a year after its creation, the Pentagon's Business Transformation Agency has been assigned the task of streamlining and transforming the Defense Department's contracting processes and systems in Iraq.

May 23, 2006, GovExec.com by Daniel Pulliam
Defense business modernization agency wins support
The Defense Department's efforts to modernize its business systems recently have attracted recognition and support from some lawmakers, despite proposed budget cuts for the Business Transformation Agency, where those efforts now reside.

May/June 2006, Defense Systems by Cindy Waxer
Beyond Bean Counting
A clean audit gets all the attention, but creating enterprise business systems and a results-driven management culture ultimately will decide whether DOD controls its financial accounts—or they control it.

May 22, 2006, GovExec.com by Daniel Pulliam
Pentagon late payments hurt small contractors
The failure of the Defense Department to pay its small business contractors on time has affected the day-to-day operations of some companies, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

May 16, 2006, Government Computer News by Dawn S. Onley
GAO seeks more effort from Defense on modernization
Over the past six months, the Defense Department has made incremental strides in transforming its legacy and duplicative business systems by releasing another business enterprise architecture version, updating its enterprise transition plan and issuing a report to Congress.

May 15, 2006, Government Computer News by Dawn S. Onley
Collaboration gets DOD's modernization on track
In just over a year, the Defense Department has made more progress on its business systems modernization project than it did in the past 10. Paul Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of Defense for business transformation, and his team in the Business Transformation Agency have been largely responsible for the turnaround.

May 10, 2006, GovExec.com by Daniel Pulliam
Pentagon tests new acquisition review process
A new process for rapidly reviewing business systems acquisitions is being tested on three Pentagon information technology programs as part of a group of pilot projects that will last through September.

May 10, 2006, FederalTimes.com by Stephen Losey
Defense Travel System delayed for landing
Budget cuts will stretch the deployment of the Defense Travel System into fiscal 2007 and indefinitely delay the rollout of one of its new features, the travel system’s program director said May 3.

May 1, 2006, Government Computer News by Dawn S. Onley
Has the Defense Travel System arrived?
The Defense Department's online travel booking system is on track to reach 11,000 sites with a capability to scale to 3.2 million users by the time it becomes fully operational in September.

April 28, 2006, GovExec.com by Chris Strohm, CongressDaily
Panel trims $341 million from Defense IT programs
The House Armed Services Terrorism Subcommittee slashed $341 million from a variety of information technology programs as it approved its portion of the fiscal 2007 defense authorization bill Thursday.

April 13, 2006, GovExec.com by Daniel Pulliam
Pentagon online travel system moves forward
The Pentagon's end-to-end online travel booking system is expected to be used departmentwide by the end of September, bringing to a close the development phase of the $474 million system.

April 6, 2006, GovExec.com by Daniel Pulliam
Pentagon business systems acquisition overhaul due shortly
The Defense Department's upcoming overhaul of its process for buying business systems could be the leading edge of a potential sequence of Pentagon acquisition reforms, a senior Defense official said Thursday.

March 27, 2006, FCW.COM by Paul McCloskey
Business transformation is turning heads
A Pentagon team is getting rave reviews for making progress with a program long known for inertia.

March 23, 2006, United Press International
DOD seeks new biz system procurement plan
The DOD is launching a new project to streamline its business system procurement process.

March 21, 2006, GovExec.com by Daniel Pulliam
Pentagon to streamline process for buying business systems
A trial program to revamp the Defense Department's process for acquiring business systems will be formally announced in the next four to six weeks, an official leading the Pentagon's business transformation efforts said this week.

March 21, 2006, FCW.COM by Matthew Weigett
Eagle awards go to Baird, Brinkley
At the star-studded Federal 100 gala Monday, FCW Media Group gave Eagle awards to Zoe Baird, president of the Markle Foundation, and Paul Brinkley, the Defense Department’s undersecretary of defense for business transformation.

March 20, 2006, Government Computer News by Dawn S. Olney
Defense's business transformation chugs forward
In sending Version 3.1 of its business enterprise architecture to Congress last week, the Defense Department took another incremental step toward better data standardization and interoperability.

March 16, 2006, United Press International
DOD achieves 67 efficiency goals
The Pentagon says it has achieved 67 of the business efficiency goals it has set for itself.

March 15, 2006 GovExec.com by Daniel Pulliam
Defense business agency meets three-quarters of goals
Three-quarters of the milestones established six months ago by the Defense agency charged with transforming departmentwide business processes have been achieved, according to an annual congressionally mandated report released Wednesday.

March 15, 2006 Government Computer News by Dawn S. Olney and Jason Miller
DOD delivers BEA Version 3.1 to Congress
The Defense Department will meet its second congressionally imposed deadline today when it hand-delivers the latest iteration of its business enterprise architecture and enterprise transition plan to several congressional Defense committees.

March 7, 2006, Government Computer News by Dawn S. Olney
Defense to update Congress on business process management progress
The Defense Department will present an updated plan to Congress next week outlining how it has fared since last September in meeting the milestones laid out to transform its business processes.

Feb. 7, 2006 GovExec.com by Daniel Pulliam
Pentagon's business transformation effort moves forward
Details are emerging on how the Pentagon's newly formed agency for renovating business processes is structured and what its budget could look like in fiscal 2007.

Jan. 6, 2006 GovExec.com by Daniel Pulliam
Defense names senior strategic sourcing executive
Pentagon officials named an assistant deputy undersecretary for strategic sourcing and acquisition processes Thursday in a move that further rounds out the executive leadership of the recently created Business Transformation Agency.

Jan. 5, 2006 Government Computer News by Dawn S. Olney
Krzysko latest undersecretary in Defense business agency
A Defense Department acquisition and procurement guru has a new title and expanded responsibilities, a senior Defense leader announced yesterday.

2005

Dec. 21, 2005 Government Computer News by Joab Jackson
OMB releases new version of DRM

November 9, 2005 FCW.COM by Frank Tiboni
GAO lauds DOD biz progress

October 31, 2005 FCW.COM by Michael Hardy
Defense transformation requires new view

October 31, 2005 Government Computer News by Jason Miller
DOD asks for second opinions on its business transition plan

October 26, 2005 GovExec.com by Daniel Pulliam
Pentagon fills key slot in business transformation agency

October 17, 2005 GovExec.com by Daniel Pulliam
Pentagon to house business programs in central agency

October 17, 2005 Washington Technology by Dawn S. Onley
New agency to centralize management of Defense business programs

October 17, 2005 FCW.COM by Frank Tiboni
DOD makes bold move to fix biz systems: New Defense Business Transformation Agency will unify programs and funding

October 14, 2005 All Headline News by Danielle George
BTA to Streamline Pentagon

October 14, 2005 Government Computer News by Dawn S. Onley
DOD creates agency to manage business programs

October 3, 2005 FCW.COM by David Perera
DOD EA Version 3.0: Troubled Pentagon effort to create a business architecture tries again

June 10, 2005 Government Computer News (GCN.com) by Jason Miller
DOD: Business modernization project reviews will happen in 2005

April 1, 2005 FCW.COM by David Perera
OMB unleashes architecture plan

January 28, 2005 GOVEXEC.COM by James Kitfield
Defense budget cuts compel military transformation

January 26, 2005 Washington Technology by Doug Beizer
Order from Chaos: The Pentagon is set to release the final blueprint for transforming its business and financial systems. Are you ready for the opportunity?

January 14, 2005 GOVEXEC.COM by Kimberly Palmer
Financial management reform bill on the way.

2004

November 11, 2004 Government Computer News by Dawn S. Onley
Hill to DOD: Build EA-compliant systems or face penalties.

October 1, 2004 CFO Magazine
Losing Battles: Two decades of failed Pentagon financial reforms put more than just dollars at risk.

August 02, 2004 Government Computer News
TRANSCOM builds enterprise architecture tied into BEA-Log

July 26, 2004 Federal Computer Week
Senate confirms new DOD comptroller

July-August 2004 Defense AT&L pages 56-59 (.PDF)
Say Goodbye to the Old Ways of Doing Business

June 2004 Inside the Pentagon by David Perera
Tibbits: Latest Blueprint for Business Modernization Due this Summer

April 23, 2004 DefenseLINK News Release
New Director Announced for DoD's Business Transformation Initiative

April 22, 2004 Government Computer News
Tibbits will head DOD financial revamp

March 24, 2004 Federal Computer Week
Does Defense need a high-level financial manager?

March 10, 2004 Government Computer News
DOD to test business modernization architecture

February 23, 2004 InsideDefense.com
DOD Reprograms Funds For Business Management Modernization Program

February 2, 2004 DefenseLINK News Release
Fiscal 2005 Department of Defense Budget Release

January 5, 2004 USTRANSCOM News Service
New offices house accounting services for worldwide command

2003

December 31, 2003 Military Information Technology
Milestone for Air Force Modernization

Sept 24, 2003 The DOD's Top Priorities for the Next 16-Months
DOD's Top Priorities (.pdf) 2MB

May 2, 2003 Government Computer News
DOD’s financial architecture gets a new name

April 28, 2003 Government Computer News
DOD sets plan to consolidate 2,100 financial systems

April 25, 2003 Post Newsweek Tech Media
Pentagon releases plan to integrate business systems

March 25, 2003 Federal Computer Week
DOD picks financial framework leaders

March 10, 2003 Federal Computer Week
DOD wages financial management war