Government employee thread! (Being a government employee is sweet) (3 Viewers)

[quick-hands]

I think if workers are really worried about thier position being shut off, it probably means they are acknowledging their organizational bloat

do you think everyone working in the DoE or USAID thought their organization was useless?

seems like drifting from facts. max made a statement based on his view of facts. your question is political.

 

[-OZ-]

I think if workers are really worried about thier position being shut off, it probably means they are acknowledging their organizational bloat

do you think everyone working in the DoE or USAID thought their organization was useless?

seems like drifting from facts. max made a statement based on his view of facts. your question is political.

No, my question is for max’s opinion, no politics needed.
If anything “only workers who think their job is a waste should be worried” is political.

 

[Max Power]

I think if workers are really worried about thier position being shut off, it probably means they are acknowledging their organizational bloat

do you think everyone working in the DoE or USAID thought their organization was useless?

No, I think unfortunately some good people are going to be caught up in the changes. I think that will be more the exception than the rule though. USAID employees are on paid leave while the organization is audited/restructured. USAID may have a lot of explaining to do and it's prior vision will probably be adjusted. I don't want to dive too deep into USAID, because it's a lot of rumors right now and likely moves to the politics side of discussion. The policy side of an audit/reorg I'm good with.

DoEd is still news to me. I haven't followed up on the situation going on with them at the moment, but I feel similar as above. There are good people with noble goals in DoEd, but we can't look at it from a macro level and call it a success. The results aren't pretty. Even if someone makes a case that education problems in America are outside of DoEd control, (which I think is a valid argument) we should pause and reevaluate if we're putting money in the right places to correct the problem vs status quo.

 

[Max Power]

I think if workers are really worried about thier position being shut off, it probably means they are acknowledging their organizational bloat

do you think everyone working in the DoE or USAID thought their organization was useless?

seems like drifting from facts. max made a statement based on his view of facts. your question is political.

No, my question is for max’s opinion, no politics needed.
If anything “only workers who think their job is a waste should be worried” is political.

I didn't think it was political. More that everyone can look at their job or organization and point to several redundancies. I'm government and not concerned about being fired in part because we've been downsizing for 3 years now and there is no meat left on this bone to cut.

 

[[icon]]

there is some major strategic reasons for the services provided by USAID, things the military isn’t right to do but help the national defense - imo anyway.

Please help us understand the "major strategic reasons" behind services provided USAID such as $1.5 million for advancing DEI in Serbia's workplaces, $70K for production of a DEI musical in Ireland, $47K for a transgender opera in Colombia, and $32K for a transgender comic book in Peru. Source: WH Press Secretary

Q - are there questionable uses of funds in USAID?
A - yes
Q - are there questionable uses of funds in the vast majority of agencies?
A - sure, probably
Q - is the USAID overall a valuable resource?
A - yes

Q - is it appropriate to review the function of USAID to ensure it aligns with current foreign policy objectives?
A - yes
Q - is it appropriate to ensure that the taxpayer money used to fund USAID is spent wisely and wasteful programs eliminated?
A - yes

The callousness of the shuttering of USAID is apalling. So many people doing good humanitarian work are left scrambling. So many programs that bolster the image of the US worldwide are vaporized. So many millions that are in need and rely on humanitarian aid paid for by the USG will know that our country turned their backs on them without any notice.

These are programs that provide polio vaccines, HIV drugs, clean water and sanitation, prosthetic limbs, landmine clearing, and so many other good deeds around the world. If the American people think those aren't worthwhile and the USG agrees, OK fine, wind down the programs. But simply cutting off funding and firing all personnel without warning? There is so much cruelty in that.

I just can't get over how un Christ-like this is. Tell me, Christians, why you would support such actions?

An analogy I’ve heard:

If you heard a hospital had some wasteful spending, do you think the correct approach is to throw every breaker and fire the majority of the staff, then start turning things on rehiring if people start dying?

Or do you come in, audit, then trim the fat?

I don’t know a single person who is denying there was waste in the agency. The question is… which would have been the best approach?

Me, I’m not big on ”throwing the baby out with the bathwater” but….. I’ll stop there given the forum restrictions

But what do you do when the entity being audited doesn't allow access to the books and records required to conduct the audit?

Absolutely nothing happened that necessitated write level access to the treasury systems.

Nothing.

 

[McBokonon]

I think if workers are really worried about thier position being shut off, it probably means they are acknowledging their organizational bloat.

They could also not be doing that, but be reacting to the haphazard and imprecise nature in which things are being done.

 

[Oracle]

there is some major strategic reasons for the services provided by USAID, things the military isn’t right to do but help the national defense - imo anyway.

Please help us understand the "major strategic reasons" behind services provided USAID such as $1.5 million for advancing DEI in Serbia's workplaces, $70K for production of a DEI musical in Ireland, $47K for a transgender opera in Colombia, and $32K for a transgender comic book in Peru. Source: WH Press Secretary

Q - are there questionable uses of funds in USAID?
A - yes
Q - are there questionable uses of funds in the vast majority of agencies?
A - sure, probably
Q - is the USAID overall a valuable resource?
A - yes

Q - is it appropriate to review the function of USAID to ensure it aligns with current foreign policy objectives?
A - yes
Q - is it appropriate to ensure that the taxpayer money used to fund USAID is spent wisely and wasteful programs eliminated?
A - yes

The callousness of the shuttering of USAID is apalling. So many people doing good humanitarian work are left scrambling. So many programs that bolster the image of the US worldwide are vaporized. So many millions that are in need and rely on humanitarian aid paid for by the USG will know that our country turned their backs on them without any notice.

These are programs that provide polio vaccines, HIV drugs, clean water and sanitation, prosthetic limbs, landmine clearing, and so many other good deeds around the world. If the American people think those aren't worthwhile and the USG agrees, OK fine, wind down the programs. But simply cutting off funding and firing all personnel without warning? There is so much cruelty in that.

I just can't get over how un Christ-like this is. Tell me, Christians, why you would support such actions?

An analogy I’ve heard:

If you heard a hospital had some wasteful spending, do you think the correct approach is to throw every breaker and fire the majority of the staff, then start turning things on rehiring if people start dying?

Or do you come in, audit, then trim the fat?

I don’t know a single person who is denying there was waste in the agency. The question is… which would have been the best approach?

Me, I’m not big on ”throwing the baby out with the bathwater” but….. I’ll stop there given the forum restrictions

But what do you do when the entity being audited doesn't allow access to the books and records required to conduct the audit?

Absolutely nothing happened that necessitated write level access to the treasury systems.

Nothing.

Completely agree! Write access should never be authorized for auditing systems, change logs etc. Although any code added/changed/deleted will show up in the change log.

OTOH, hearing about changes being made before the systems were audited is surprising. I expect people with the authority to make changes to the system to understand that the change log will show every change made.

 

[Max Power]

I think if workers are really worried about thier position being shut off, it probably means they are acknowledging their organizational bloat.

They could also not be doing that, but be reacting to the haphazard and imprecise nature in which things are being done.

Thats a fair take. I also think it's also fair to remind everyone that there are still a lot of federal employee protections that can't just be pen whipped.

 

[Max Power]

I was just forwarded the DoD memo for return to work. Telework is cancelled if you live within 50 miles of your worksite and have an office space to report to. Exceptions can be applied for. Return to work date is Monday.

Anyone living outside of 50 miles will have appropriate steps taken to relocate them to the closest agency location.

 

[-OZ-]

I was just forwarded the DoD memo for return to work. Telework is cancelled if you live within 50 miles of your worksite and have an office space to report to. Exceptions can be applied for. Return to work date is Monday.

Anyone living outside of 50 miles will have appropriate steps taken to relocate them to the closest agency location.

Same. The date is two weeks before we were originally told. Traffic is gonna suck.

Fwiw, I’m not the least bit worried about our office losing jobs, we’re still hiring and exempt from the freeze. I am glad I decided not to leave for a remote position 6 months ago.

 

[The Z Machine]

there is no meat left on this bone to cut.

That's what you think now bcvause you're in the trenches. I've thought the same thing at my company and yet, we've still had cuts. What will happen is that they will ask people to do more with fewer bodies and the quality will suffer until some actions that used to be viable are no longer supported. Basically, the scope / remit of the org shrinks to fit the available bodies.

I would not be so sure that you're group is untouchable, no matter what function they perform for the USG, be that processing payments for Medicare or DoD or intelligence.

 

[Max Power]

there is no meat left on this bone to cut.

That's what you think now bcvause you're in the trenches. I've thought the same thing at my company and yet, we've still had cuts. What will happen is that they will ask people to do more with fewer bodies and the quality will suffer until some actions that used to be viable are no longer supported. Basically, the scope / remit of the org shrinks to fit the available bodies.

I would not be so sure that you're group is untouchable, no matter what function they perform for the USG, be that processing payments for Medicare or DoD or intelligence.

We're already there. We've gone from the "doing more with less" mantra, to our commanders telling us to "do less with less". Unfortunately, during this downsizing we've already had to take on two additional operation requirements, so a request for more manpower has been submitted. Currently we're staffing those out of hide. I think the next manpower audit will help us.

There is already groundwork being laid for a new operational front that it appears we'll be heavily involved in. Our requirements keep growing.

 

[Stoneworker]

there is some major strategic reasons for the services provided by USAID, things the military isn’t right to do but help the national defense - imo anyway.

Please help us understand the "major strategic reasons" behind services provided USAID such as $1.5 million for advancing DEI in Serbia's workplaces, $70K for production of a DEI musical in Ireland, $47K for a transgender opera in Colombia, and $32K for a transgender comic book in Peru. Source: WH Press Secretary

Q - are there questionable uses of funds in USAID?
A - yes
Q - are there questionable uses of funds in the vast majority of agencies?
A - sure, probably
Q - is the USAID overall a valuable resource?
A - yes

Q - is it appropriate to review the function of USAID to ensure it aligns with current foreign policy objectives?
A - yes
Q - is it appropriate to ensure that the taxpayer money used to fund USAID is spent wisely and wasteful programs eliminated?
A - yes

The callousness of the shuttering of USAID is apalling. So many people doing good humanitarian work are left scrambling. So many programs that bolster the image of the US worldwide are vaporized. So many millions that are in need and rely on humanitarian aid paid for by the USG will know that our country turned their backs on them without any notice.

These are programs that provide polio vaccines, HIV drugs, clean water and sanitation, prosthetic limbs, landmine clearing, and so many other good deeds around the world. If the American people think those aren't worthwhile and the USG agrees, OK fine, wind down the programs. But simply cutting off funding and firing all personnel without warning? There is so much cruelty in that.

I just can't get over how un Christ-like this is. Tell me, Christians, why you would support such actions?

An analogy I’ve heard:

If you heard a hospital had some wasteful spending, do you think the correct approach is to throw every breaker and fire the majority of the staff, then start turning things on rehiring if people start dying?

Or do you come in, audit, then trim the fat?

I don’t know a single person who is denying there was waste in the agency. The question is… which would have been the best approach?

Me, I’m not big on ”throwing the baby out with the bathwater” but….. I’ll stop there given the forum restrictions

But what do you do when the entity being audited doesn't allow access to the books and records required to conduct the audit?

Absolutely nothing happened that necessitated write level access to the treasury systems.

Nothing.

That's not at all what I'm suggesting and you know it

 

[Sammy3469]

there is no meat left on this bone to cut.

That's what you think now bcvause you're in the trenches. I've thought the same thing at my company and yet, we've still had cuts. What will happen is that they will ask people to do more with fewer bodies and the quality will suffer until some actions that used to be viable are no longer supported. Basically, the scope / remit of the org shrinks to fit the available bodies.

I would not be so sure that you're group is untouchable, no matter what function they perform for the USG, be that processing payments for Medicare or DoD or intelligence.

FWIW, I think that's the whole point.

Like you, I think its myopic for anyone in any government position to think they are immune to DOGE except for the Border Patrol. They'll start with the easy places like USAID and Dept of Ed, but will have to roll to other agencies that control more funds relatively quickly especially once they go through the first round of firings. There's just not enough cuts they can make without touching DoD, SS, or Medicare (HHS) to get to their targets.

I'd also add that if you are interested in how these guys think listen to the Lex Fridman podcast with Marc Andresson from last week. They basically think everything and I do mean everything needs to be blown up. Andresson also said that basically anything Musk or Trump says or posts is their true unfiltered thoughts and that while they troll, if folks laugh at the troll they know they're on the right track. Andresson is also a ridiculously smart guy.

 

[Max Power]

there is no meat left on this bone to cut.

That's what you think now bcvause you're in the trenches. I've thought the same thing at my company and yet, we've still had cuts. What will happen is that they will ask people to do more with fewer bodies and the quality will suffer until some actions that used to be viable are no longer supported. Basically, the scope / remit of the org shrinks to fit the available bodies.

I would not be so sure that you're group is untouchable, no matter what function they perform for the USG, be that processing payments for Medicare or DoD or intelligence.

FWIW, I think that's the whole point.

Like you, I think its myopic for anyone in any government position to think they are immune to DOGE except for the Border Patrol. They'll start with the easy places like USAID and Dept of Ed, but will have to roll to other agencies that control more funds relatively quickly especially once they go through the first round of firings. There's just not enough cuts they can make without touching DoD, SS, or Medicare (HHS) to get to their targets.

I'd also add that if you are interested in how these guys think listen to the Lex Fridman podcast with Marc Andresson from last week. They basically think everything and I do mean everything needs to be blown up. Andresson also said that basically anything Musk or Trump says or posts is their true unfiltered thoughts and that while they troll, if folks laugh at the troll they know they're on the right track. Andresson is also a ridiculously smart guy.

For the record, I think the DoD is loaded with fraud waste and abuse. It fails audits regularly and the accountability is non-existent. A quick google search shows just how wasteful the DoD is.

Manpower is way down the list of budget issues. Military recruiting has been falling short of quotas for years now. The civilian workforce and contractors are bridging that gap. That said, modernization efforts may reduce manpower needs in the near future, but we're not there yet.

 

[Nugget]

there is no meat left on this bone to cut.

That's what you think now bcvause you're in the trenches. I've thought the same thing at my company and yet, we've still had cuts. What will happen is that they will ask people to do more with fewer bodies and the quality will suffer until some actions that used to be viable are no longer supported. Basically, the scope / remit of the org shrinks to fit the available bodies.

I would not be so sure that you're group is untouchable, no matter what function they perform for the USG, be that processing payments for Medicare or DoD or intelligence.

Twitter let 80% of the workforce go in 2022.

 

[Sand]

I'd also add that if you are interested in how these guys think listen to the Lex Fridman podcast with Marc Andresson from last week. They basically think everything and I do mean everything needs to be blown up. Andresson also said that basically anything Musk or Trump says or posts is their true unfiltered thoughts and that while they troll, if folks laugh at the troll they know they're on the right track. Andresson is also a ridiculously smart guy.

When we see some of what our money goes to (i.e. absolutely no accountability to the taxpayer) I have to agree with this tack. Shine sunlight on everything.

 

[The Z Machine]

I'd also add that if you are interested in how these guys think listen to the Lex Fridman podcast with Marc Andresson from last week. They basically think everything and I do mean everything needs to be blown up. Andresson also said that basically anything Musk or Trump says or posts is their true unfiltered thoughts and that while they troll, if folks laugh at the troll they know they're on the right track. Andresson is also a ridiculously smart guy.

When we see some of what our money goes to (i.e. absolutely no accountability to the taxpayer) I have to agree with this tack. Shine sunlight on everything.

Yet, we will have little sunshine on the modification to the code of sensitive government systems...

 

[Joe Schmo]

I'd also add that if you are interested in how these guys think listen to the Lex Fridman podcast with Marc Andresson from last week. They basically think everything and I do mean everything needs to be blown up. Andresson also said that basically anything Musk or Trump says or posts is their true unfiltered thoughts and that while they troll, if folks laugh at the troll they know they're on the right track. Andresson is also a ridiculously smart guy.

When we see some of what our money goes to (i.e. absolutely no accountability to the taxpayer) I have to agree with this tack. Shine sunlight on everything.

Blowing it all up and shining a light are two different things with the former having potential to create real havoc rather than just fixing what's broke. Again, me personally I do not trust this admin or Musk so that's my lens.

 

[Joe Schmo]

Yeah, that's right, where is the transparency from the Musk side???

 

[Joe Schmo]

Musk has shown he is a liar and more about self than altruism, he spoke of twitter bein a safe space for free speech be he regularly shuts down anyone calling him or his out so no, I do not trust him with this project at all.

 

[eighsse2]

Musk has shown he is a liar and more about self than altruism, he spoke of twitter bein a safe space for free speech be he regularly shuts down anyone calling him or his out so no, I do not trust him with this project at all.

What do you mean by "shuts down"? Are you talking about removing people's posts on X/twitter?

 

[Judge Smails]

Govt has to be reduced. No question. Bloat and waste. Sorry.

I’d love for them to blow up healthcare next. Somebody has to fix the madness of this fee for service model and eliminate middlemen taking all the money. Will take people not beholden to lobbyists and donations. Probably our best chance to blow that up. Issue is single payer is MORE govt. but maybe that inefficiency is more than offset by eliminating middlemen

 

[Don Quixote]

Let’s avoid the politics talk in here.

 

[nittanylion]

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

 

[The Z Machine]

OK, too much politics.

 

[fruity pebbles]

Govt has to be reduced. No question. Bloat and waste. Sorry.

I’d love for them to blow up healthcare next. Somebody has to fix the madness of this fee for service model and eliminate middlemen taking all the money. Will take people not beholden to lobbyists and donations. Probably our best chance to blow that up. Issue is single payer is MORE govt. but maybe that inefficiency is more than offset by eliminating middlemen

Healthcare makes the government look like a fine tuned machine

 

[Sammy3469]

I'd also add that if you are interested in how these guys think listen to the Lex Fridman podcast with Marc Andresson from last week. They basically think everything and I do mean everything needs to be blown up. Andresson also said that basically anything Musk or Trump says or posts is their true unfiltered thoughts and that while they troll, if folks laugh at the troll they know they're on the right track. Andresson is also a ridiculously smart guy.

When we see some of what our money goes to (i.e. absolutely no accountability to the taxpayer) I have to agree with this tack. Shine sunlight on everything.

Y'all do know this website exists: https://www.usaspending.gov/.

 

[The Z Machine]

FWIW, my wife has reported that the ripple effects are being felt in many other areas. She used to work for a large research university. There were many government grants (NIH, CDC, DoD, DoE) that these universities receive. Some of those grants had "Equity" in their remit. Some of those grants were looking at worldwide humanitarian assistance or health access issues (like on N.A. reservations). Many faculty have their salaries tied to those grants. They were signed contracts with the USG to perform that research.

So people not employed directly by the USG are being hurt right now due to these drastic changes. I will vehemently disagree that this research was not worthwhile. it very much is.

 

[Sand]

I'd also add that if you are interested in how these guys think listen to the Lex Fridman podcast with Marc Andresson from last week. They basically think everything and I do mean everything needs to be blown up. Andresson also said that basically anything Musk or Trump says or posts is their true unfiltered thoughts and that while they troll, if folks laugh at the troll they know they're on the right track. Andresson is also a ridiculously smart guy.

When we see some of what our money goes to (i.e. absolutely no accountability to the taxpayer) I have to agree with this tack. Shine sunlight on everything.

Yet, we will have little sunshine on the modification to the code of sensitive government systems...

UST Secretary says that code base is at the Fed, not at Treasury. Not sure who's got this wrong, but someone does.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-06/bessent-says-musk-s-doge-isn-t-tinkering-with-treasury-systems

 

[-OZ-]

When we see some of what our money goes to (i.e. absolutely no accountability to the taxpayer) I have to agree with this tack. Shine sunlight on everything.

I’m FULLY on board with transparency. ****, as an ethics attorney I’m one of the people screaming at waste, albeit “legal” waste way too often. But the method used to reboot a computer isn’t appropriate here.

Govt has to be reduced. No question. Bloat and waste. Sorry.

I’d love for them to blow up healthcare next. Somebody has to fix the madness of this fee for service model and eliminate middlemen taking all the money. Will take people not beholden to lobbyists and donations. Probably our best chance to blow that up. Issue is single payer is MORE govt. but maybe that inefficiency is more than offset by eliminating middlemen

So, no free market?

 

[Oracle]

I'd also add that if you are interested in how these guys think listen to the Lex Fridman podcast with Marc Andresson from last week. They basically think everything and I do mean everything needs to be blown up. Andresson also said that basically anything Musk or Trump says or posts is their true unfiltered thoughts and that while they troll, if folks laugh at the troll they know they're on the right track. Andresson is also a ridiculously smart guy.

When we see some of what our money goes to (i.e. absolutely no accountability to the taxpayer) I have to agree with this tack. Shine sunlight on everything.

Yet, we will have little sunshine on the modification to the code of sensitive government systems...

Is this statement supposed to be speculative? I have yet to see an article that code was pushed.

Most code is developed and archived with a versioning system. Covering your traces in such a system is … possible, but difficult. IF code was pushed, the code can (and should – in case someone bypassed the archive system) be reloaded, and any additions vetted.

 

[Joe Schmo]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/elons-doge-boy-resigned-apparently-154331494.html

One of Elon Musk's lackeys at his DOGE group, Marko Elez, unexpectedly resigned on Thursday after the Wall Street Journal revealed a litany of extremely racist social media posts he'd apparently made shortly before joining the team.

The exact reason for his abrupt departure remains unclear. However, as Wired reports, White House officials seem to have provided incorrect information about Elez only being given "read-only" permissions to the US Treasury codebase, hinting at the possibility that he could have been in trouble for things other than the egregiously racist posts linked to his departure.

According to Wired, Elez did in fact have write access, allowing him to push unvetted and untested changes straight to the Treasury's payments system — a nightmare scenario that could introduce all sorts of cybersecurity vulnerabilities and leave doors open for adversary hacker groups.

================================================================================
Adding to the ominous signs around Elez' activity and departure, the blog Talking Points Memo reported this week that Elez had made "extensive changes" to the system before his write access was revoked on February 5. In other words, it sounds a lot like White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was either intentionally or unintentionally obfuscating the truth by claiming that Elez only had "read" permissions.

I'd also add that if you are interested in how these guys think listen to the Lex Fridman podcast with Marc Andresson from last week. They basically think everything and I do mean everything needs to be blown up. Andresson also said that basically anything Musk or Trump says or posts is their true unfiltered thoughts and that while they troll, if folks laugh at the troll they know they're on the right track. Andresson is also a ridiculously smart guy.

When we see some of what our money goes to (i.e. absolutely no accountability to the taxpayer) I have to agree with this tack. Shine sunlight on everything.

Yet, we will have little sunshine on the modification to the code of sensitive government systems...

Is this statement supposed to be speculative? I have yet to see an article that code was pushed.

Most code is developed and archived with a versioning system. Covering your traces in such a system is … possible, but difficult. IF code was pushed, the code can (and should – in case someone bypassed the archive system) be reloaded, and any additions vetted.

According to Wired, Elez did in fact have write access, allowing him to push unvetted and untested changes straight to the Treasury's payments system — a nightmare scenario that could introduce all sorts of cybersecurity vulnerabilities and leave doors open for adversary hacker groups.

 

[Max Power]

It was just announced that the Pentagon/DoD are up next for a DOGE audit.

 

[FarFromHome]

It was just announced that the Pentagon/DoD are up next for a DOGE audit.

This should be interesting....

 

[-OZ-]

It was just announced that the Pentagon/DoD are up next for a DOGE audit.

I wonder if they’re keeping it in DoD proper or including the services.

 

[Ilov80s]

Does anyone know if the Department of Ed still exists?

 

[dgreen]

Does anyone know if the Department of Ed still exists?

Yes, it exists. It would require Congressional action to abolish it.

 

[TripItUp]

Yes, it exists. It would require Congressional action to abolish it.

will be interesting to see what the SCOTUS says about a 99% reduction...because that's exactly where this is headed.

 

[Max Power]

It was just announced that the Pentagon/DoD are up next for a DOGE audit.

I wonder if they’re keeping it in DoD proper or including the services.

I'm guessing it will expand, but the Pentagon has to be the main focus.

Really crazy to think the government's goal is for the Pentagon to have a clean audit within 4 years.

The accounting practices have been so poor that the auditors can't even complete portions. I guess the good news is the 2024 audit "showed progress".

The annoying part is the property accountability at the lowest levels in DoD is very strict. If something goes missing that a person is signed for, they are most likely paying for it out of pocket unless a CO writes it off.

To make matters worse, the person has to pay back the government rate at which the government purchased it for. Often times it's 2-3x more than the going commercial price.

 

[-OZ-]

The annoying part is the property accountability at the lowest levels in DoD is very strict.

I agree with just about everything you wrote, but this really depends on the organization. Active duty, yes almost always B level or better. Civilian and reserve? Far less so, based on what I’ve seen and heard from reservists and NG. Although I guess NG wouldn’t be included here.

 

[djmich]

It was just announced that the Pentagon/DoD are up next for a DOGE audit.

I wonder if they’re keeping it in DoD proper or including the services.

To make matters worse, the person has to pay back the government rate at which the government purchased it for. Often times it's 2-3x more than the going commercial price.

Lol. That right there one reason why when people say you can’t cut defense…you can cut defense.

 

[Ilov80s]

Does anyone know if the Department of Ed still exists?

Yes, it exists. It would require Congressional action to abolish it.

you can see how it’s confusing when a piece of paper says one thing but the person has exclusive access to all government agencies says otherwise. This would potentially actually affect me quite a bit considering the role and money the DOE plays in educating students with disabilities which is my job. Not sure how exactly. They can’t afford me anymore and I lose my job? There’s no enforcement of special ed law so I don’t have to do as much paperwork? Possibilities are all over the place

 

[djmich]

Does anyone know if the Department of Ed still exists?

Yes, it exists. It would require Congressional action to abolish it.

you can see how it’s confusing when a piece of paper says one thing but the person has exclusive access to all government agencies says otherwise. This would potentially actually affect me quite a bit considering the role and money the DOE plays in educating students with disabilities which is my job. Not sure how exactly. They can’t afford me anymore and I lose my job? There’s no enforcement of special ed law so I don’t have to do as much paperwork? Possibilities are all over the place

You don't work for the Fed Gov but for a state or private recipient of funds?

 

[belljr]

We got our official RTO date ....well sort of it's still vague for bues.

If that's the worst thing for me personally it's no big deal. But who really knows.

Trying to stay positive for my peeps and for everyone that may be affected in here.

But I'm still anxious probably more than I should. GL

 

[Max Power]

The annoying part is the property accountability at the lowest levels in DoD is very strict.

I agree with just about everything you wrote, but this really depends on the organization. Active duty, yes almost always B level or better. Civilian and reserve? Far less so, based on what I’ve seen and heard from reservists and NG. Although I guess NG wouldn’t be included here.

Our civilians are sort of hit and miss when it comes to property accountability. If a person is in J6 or J4 ( IT/Logistics) they will get hammered over certain things. Intel, Ops, and admin seem to get more grace when they can't account for items.

I can’t even imagine how bad reserve or NG might be. I don't want to bad mouth them too much, but they are rarely squared away when we deal with them.

NG is a weird one too. I believe they are funded federally as well as by the state. I don't know who pays for what.

 

[Ilov80s]

Does anyone know if the Department of Ed still exists?

Yes, it exists. It would require Congressional action to abolish it.

you can see how it’s confusing when a piece of paper says one thing but the person has exclusive access to all government agencies says otherwise. This would potentially actually affect me quite a bit considering the role and money the DOE plays in educating students with disabilities which is my job. Not sure how exactly. They can’t afford me anymore and I lose my job? There’s no enforcement of special ed law so I don’t have to do as much paperwork? Possibilities are all over the place

You don't work for the Fed Gov but for a state or private recipient of funds?

Yeah I am a special ed teacher

 

[The Z Machine]

Does anyone know if the Department of Ed still exists?

Yes, it exists. It would require Congressional action to abolish it.

Same thing for USAID?

 

[-OZ-]

Lol. That right there one reason why when people say you can’t cut defense…you can cut defense.

Of course you can. I actually hope they make some spending more difficult. I just don’t think they’ll cut much.

 

[djmich]

Does anyone know if the Department of Ed still exists?

Yes, it exists. It would require Congressional action to abolish it.

you can see how it’s confusing when a piece of paper says one thing but the person has exclusive access to all government agencies says otherwise. This would potentially actually affect me quite a bit considering the role and money the DOE plays in educating students with disabilities which is my job. Not sure how exactly. They can’t afford me anymore and I lose my job? There’s no enforcement of special ed law so I don’t have to do as much paperwork? Possibilities are all over the place

You don't work for the Fed Gov but for a state or private recipient of funds?

Yeah I am a special ed teacher

Gotcha, you’d hope the funding is still there…at least that’s what they’re saying. Just not sure if it would be distributed in the same way. Hope it works out for you, I’m sure the uncertainty sucks.