People on the Move
Connecting state and local government leaders
The Senate has confirmed <b>Robert McFarland</b> as the next assistant secretary for information and technology at the Veterans Affairs Department.
The Senate has confirmed Robert McFarland as the next assistant secretary for information and technology at the Veterans Affairs Department.
The former Dell Inc. vice president replaces John Gauss, who resigned the CIO post earlier this year.
McFarland, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, oversaw Dell government relations until his resignation in May.
Gary Hartwig, a career Customs Service official, recently took over as interim CIO of the Homeland Security Department's Immigration and Customs Enforcement arm.
From March 1 until his appointment, he was director of ICE's executive information division. Previously, he had been the Customs Service's director of administration, planning and policy in the Office of Investigations.
Agency officials also are working to change ICE's name to Investigations and Criminal Enforcement, saying that most ICE employees have criminal investigation functions.
Vice Adm. Walter B. Massenburg is the new commander of the Naval Air Systems Command, following his recent confirmation by the Senate.
In 1999, Massenburg was promoted to rear admiral and became the assistant commander for logistics at NAVAIR. Earlier this year, he was named assistant commander for aviation depots.
Patrick T. Shine this month assumed the role of acting director of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, replacing Thomas Bloom, who left to become the chief financial officer of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
Shine, director of the Military and Civilian Pay Services business line, will head DFAS until a permanent director is appointed.
Bloom had headed DFAS since May 1999.
Joe Draham, a GTSI Corp. vice president, this month began work as an adviser on reconstruction and humanitarian efforts in Iraq for the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority.
Draham, a retired Air Force colonel, is taking an extended leave from the Chantilly, Va., company to work with the authority's new chief operating officer, retired Army Lt. Gen. Joseph 'Keith' Kellogg.
Larry Begley, the General Services Administration's director of IT in the inspector general's office, will retire Jan. 2 after more than three decades of federal service. Begley has worked in GSA's IG office since 1982. Before that he spent five years in the Army and five with the Defense Department.
Ed Van Buren, Begley's deputy, will take over as interim director until GSA names a successor.
NEXT STORY: Air Force draws picture of space assets