Found this neat infograph via a tweet yesterday.. Couldn’t go without sharing it here.

Note: One of the subtle yet unexplored issue is the impact of America’s bulging waistlines on our national security.. It is not about our Armed forces struggling to find men and women who are physically fit.  If you look at it from a macro level, the obesity issue has some serious implications for our national security. You may ask why? Because we import way too much of our oil from some of the very troubled parts of the world to haul our our people around the streets and highways of this nation.   According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), In 2011, the United States consumed about 134 billion gallons1 (or 3.19 billion  barrels2) of gasoline, a daily average of about 367.08 million gallons (8.74 million barrels). This was about 6% less than the record high of about 142.38 billion gallons (or 3.39 billion barrels) consumed in 2007.  Interestingly,  the U.S. imported approximately 11.4 million barrels per day of petroleum in 2011 from about 80 countries (~45% net consumption is from imported oil).  So, the heavier we become as a nation, the more fuel we will consume everyday. The more we import, more money goes to these troubled countries and eventually resulting in conflicts that inflict a greater loss of life.  Some of these conflicts zones even have our personnel directly engaged in combat and  now you see where this is going? Glad the current administration is taking steps to minimize our oil consumption with such measures as raising fuel economy standards but as a nation we still have a long way to go before we reach a secure energy future. And to get there every ounce matters.

Related articles

• A McClatchy special report: Is the era of oil nearing its end?
• America Needs Less Foreign Oil… For the Wrong Reasons
• Group: America’s obesity problem is hurting national security

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Integrity, confidence, discipline and commitment define your career in Battelle’s National Security Division.  Battelle was built on a firm foundation of honesty, integrity, and outstanding service and the work we do in national security impacts lives around the world; whether we’re creating armor for military applications, testing a life-saving vaccine, or developing a more efficient hydrogen fuel cell. At Battelle, we reward the best work with more responsibility, positions to grow and develop, and the opportunity to make a positive impact on the world.  Are YOU ready for your Next Mission?

As part of our National Security Global Business, our Transportation business specializes in improving the factors that are critical to our country’s transportation systems – safety, efficiency, and environmental acceptability. Battelle develops and deploys creative technology solutions to meet challenges faced by the U.S. Department of Transportation, other federal and state transportation agencies, and the commercial transportation industry. We deliver high-value, technology-oriented answers to problems in the areas of highway, aviation, marine, rail, and transit by combining unique capabilities in transportation engineering, technology development and deployment, system safety, regulatory and operations analyses, and human factors.

Our Transportation Research and Engineering group is currently seeking a Transportation Engineer/Planner.   This position will be located in our Washington, DC offices.  Working with Battelle’s transportation staff, the successful candidate will use their solid background in engineering and planning work on national and state-level projects in the area of transportation systems management, highway policy, and intelligent transportation systems to contribute to our  research and technology evaluation programs.

The successful candidate will participate with the members of the Transportation Group in the proposal development, project management and technical analysis associated with planning and conducting transportation technology and policy studies in:

1.     Transportation Systems Management and Operations

2.     Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Research

3.     Transportation Policy

4.     Program Evaluations

THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION:

• Graduate Degree in Transportation Engineering,  Transportation Planning or a Transportation-related field, OR an undergraduate degree in Transportation Engineering,  Transportation Planning or a Transportation-related field with 2+ years of directly-relevant experience in similar job description
• ·Must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA for both undergraduate and graduate level degrees.
• Must be a US citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a government Security Clearance
• Ability to execute analyses, design reviews and evaluations of assigned projects using sound engineering principles, adhering to business standards and procedures in accordance with product/ program requirements
• Must have excellent communication skills, both written and oral.  This includes providing a writing sample (if selected for an interview) such as a thesis, research/technical report or other evidence of writing capability.
• Self starter, able to work independently with a sense of urgency and network effectively to gather data from different sources in a team environment
• ·Must be a detail-oriented individual, thoughtful and deliberate in your approach to conducting research and analyses.
• Be an effective listener and contributor at client meetings.  Demonstrated ability to document the pertinent information/action items/opportunities discussed in a client meeting and provide a written summary of that material for management and senior technical staff.  Excellent Microsoft Office software skills (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; also skills in Project preferred)
• Must possess a strong work ethic and be task focused.  Must be willing to “do what it takes” to get the job done within the allotted timeframe while maintaining the highest levels of quality in the products you produce.

THE FOLLOWING IS DESIRED, BUT NOT REQUIRED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION:

• Experience in Project Management a plus, including ability to work with Microsoft Project.
• Formal project management training (i.e., coursework, continuing education, CAPM or PMP certifications) a plus.
• Demonstrated experience conducting research for USDOT a plus.

BENEFITS

Battelle’s competitive benefits program includes comprehensive medical and dental care, matching 401K, employee pension, tuition reimbursement, work/life balance, paid time off, flexible spending accounts, disability coverage, and other benefits that help provide financial protection for you and your family.

Battelle is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and supports diversity in the workplace. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or sexual orientation. For more information about our other openings, please visit www.battelle.org/careers.

Note:  Access the Job Posting Link directly here: https://performancemanager.successfactors.com/career?company=battelle (Select “Washington Navy Yard” as the location choice)

(source: Washington Post’s Federal Eye)

This is very disconcerting, to say the least. But I’m glad at ths ame time they are working to fix the problem.

Federal agents responsible for driving nuclear weapons and other sensitive materials sometimes got drunk and were detained by police while on the job, according to a new watchdog report.

A report released Monday by the Energy Department’s Office of Inspector General found 16 alcohol-related incidents between 2007 and 2009 involving personnel with the National Nuclear Security Administration‘s Office of Surface Transportation (OST). About 600 OST agents are responsible for safely transporting or shipping nuclear weapons and other materials across the country.

Two incidents involved extended overnight missions where OST agents parked convoy vehicles in safe harbor before checking in at nearby hotels, the report said. In separate incidents, an agent was arrested in 2007 for public intoxication while two agents were handcuffed and temporarily detained by police officers in 2009, according to the report.

Click here to read the entire story.