Horizon-cutting room links: Friday, 22 August 2025

"DoD’s school system grapples with unique ICAM challenges," Federal News Network

In a 20 August 2025 report, Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis details why the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is one of DOD’s hardest identity, credential and access management (ICAM) problems: it runs on a .edu network, not .mil, and must verify and provision access for a sprawling community that includes teachers, staff, students, parents (often using personal emails), and interagency partners such as State Department personnel. DoDEA CIO Mark Patterson says the organization remains in a discovery phase while coordinating with the DOD CIO, DISA, and the Defense Manpower Data Center, even as DoDEA slows some modernization to ensure systems are ICAM‑ready and prioritizes onboarding its two financial systems, including the Non‑DoD Schools Program, into an enterprise solution.

• DoDEA’s user base breaks the .mil mold: Operating 161 schools across nine districts in 11 foreign countries, seven US states and two territories—serving more than 67,000 students and 14,000 employees—DoDEA must accommodate parents and others logging in from personal email domains that aren’t in DOD data sets, complicating identity proofing and lifecycle management.
• Architecture and policy friction: Because DoDEA runs on .edu, extending enterprise ICAM built for NIPRNet/.mil raises assurance and segmentation questions; Patterson underscores that opening an ICAM boundary to .edu requires careful security design even if DoDEA follows the same guidelines, prompting close work with the DOD CIO, DISA, and DMDC on an enterprise‑fit approach.
• Implementation strategy: “Think ICAM first.” DoDEA has deliberately slowed some application modernization to ensure new platforms are ICAM‑ready, with an immediate “50‑meter target” to bring two financial systems—particularly the Non‑DoD Schools Program—into the ICAM framework, along with data tagging to support scalable, attribute‑based access control next.

“Bethesda’s Global Communities lays off one-third of staff after USAID funding dries up,” Washington Business Journal

After more than 80 percent of its USAID funding was terminated this year, Bethesda-based Global Communities cut forty-four positions—about one-third of its workforce—underscoring the cascading effects of the Trump administration’s shutdown of USAID contracts across Greater Washington.

• Scope of cuts and timing: The nonprofit issued layoff notices on 15 August; Maryland’s WARN filing says separations take effect 15 September. The reductions targeted operations and technical functions—finance, HR, IT, legal, compliance, communications—while program-delivery teams were spared. Headcount falls to 81 after the cuts.
• Funding collapse: A spokesperson cited a “dramatic reduction in funding” after USAID terminated more than 80 percent of Global Communities’ federal funding earlier this year. In FY 2023, nearly two-thirds of the group’s $248.4 million in revenue came from the US government, largely USAID, with 25 percent from interest and investment income and 9 percent from non-federal grants.
• Wider contractor fallout: Global Communities joins a growing list of USAID vendors in Greater Washington that have executed mass layoffs or shuttered since the administration paused foreign aid and moved to close out most USAID contracts. Chemonics (DC), DAI Global (Bethesda), and Abt Global (Rockville) each cut hundreds earlier this year, and at least one local contractor has gone out of business.

“Space Force keeps up aggressive expansion of new acquisition units,” Air & Space Forces Magazine

The Space Force activated Systems Delta 85 to speed delivery of space capabilities and plans to open five more system deltas by 7 October, doubling the number of these agile acquisition units for mission areas from SATCOM to assured access to space.

• Systems Delta 85, under Space Systems Command, consolidates hardware and software acquisition and pairs with mission deltas to smooth handoffs from labs to launch pads and ops floors, aiming to field capabilities sooner across space domain awareness, missile warning and defense, C3, battle management, and intelligence.
• The new delta will develop sensors, satellite control antennas, data systems, and software to counter adversary actions in and through space—work that will feed the Pentagon’s “Golden Dome” missile defense concept and the broader networked kill chain of connected sensors and shooters.
• The Space Force plans five additional system deltas by 7 October—covering test and training, satellite communications, combat power, position, navigation, and timing, and assured access to space—while expecting minimal relocations and no additional staff, leveraging mission–system delta teaming to push decisions to lower echelons amid workforce constraints.

“The Army is equipping its Black Hawks to launch drones — But how long will the venerable rotorcraft keep its central role as the service transforms?” Defense One

The Army will upgrade UH-60 Black Hawks to launch and control drones in flight starting next year under a $43 million Sikorsky contract, even as service leaders signal a future with fewer Black Hawks amid broader vertical-lift changes.

• Drone-launching upgrades and “launched effects”: The deal funds software and hardware that let crews operate drones from the cockpit, advancing the Army’s “launched effects” concept tied to the Army Transformation Initiative. Executives say the move aims to boost advantage in contested theaters such as the Indo-Pacific.
• Airframe modernization for range and payload: Beyond control systems, Black Hawks will receive a more powerful engine, airframe enhancements, and a main fuel upgrade to carry more at greater ranges. Future flight-control updates will add autonomy and AI assistance to help pilots in difficult conditions, raising mission safety and effectiveness.
• A strong near-term role, but uncertain long-term future: While launched effects are central to modernization, the Army has already tapped Bell’s V-280 tiltrotor for the long-range assault mission and is pursuing Future Vertical Lift. Lawmakers—particularly Rep. Rosa DeLauro—have raised concerns about potential cuts to Black Hawk buys, even as leaders say the helicopters will remain in service, likely in smaller numbers. The current procurement contract expires next year.