Volume 2, Issue 5
SE&M Solutions LLC publishes The In-Brief to help keep government and industry leaders aware of important issues in personnel security, suitability, Trusted Workforce 2.0, background investigations, adjudications, counterintelligence, industrial security communities, and emerging technologies.
Articles of Interest
VA Urges Veterans Denied Benefits After 1973 Records Fire to File Again
A recent Military.com article highlights a new effort by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make it easier for veterans whose military records were destroyed in the 1973 National Personnel Records Center fire to pursue benefits. The fire destroyed millions of Army and Air Force personnel records, leaving some veterans unable to provide documentation needed to support disability claims. Under the updated process, veterans whose claims were previously denied because their records could not be located may have an opportunity to refile and provide alternative evidence, while the VA can work to reconstruct missing service information. The change offers renewed hope to veterans who may have been unfairly disadvantaged by the loss of their official records and encourages those affected to revisit previously denied claims.
Navy-Backed Test Advances GPS Alternative for Jammed Environments
This Military.com article highlights a Navy-backed test that could help provide an alternative to GPS in environments where satellite navigation is disrupted by jamming or other interference. Technology companies TrustPoint and Hexagon’s NovAtel demonstrated that a modified commercial receiver could acquire TrustPoint’s C-band navigation signals from space and process them in real time. The test also included simulated electronic-warfare conditions, showing the potential for the technology to provide an independent source of positioning, navigation and timing (PNT). While the system is not yet a drop-in replacement for existing GPS receivers and would require compatible hardware, the demonstration represents an important step toward giving military and civilian users more resilient navigation capabilities when GPS is unavailable or unreliable.
How US Military Funding Propelled China’s Robot Dogs
This Defense News article examines how U.S. military-funded robotics research helped lay the groundwork for China’s rapidly growing robot-dog industry. Research supported by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and other military programs contributed to advances in four-legged robot mobility, including technology developed through collaborations involving MIT and the University of Pennsylvania. That research was intentionally published openly to advance the broader robotics field, but Chinese company Unitree Robotics was able to build on similar designs and scale production much faster and at far lower cost than U.S. competitors. The article highlights a broader challenge for the United States: maintaining its technological lead requires not only funding innovative research, but also developing the manufacturing capacity, supply chains, investment and workforce needed to turn those breakthroughs into competitive products.
Treasury’s Sam Corcos Takes On 3 GSA Roles
Sam Corcos, chief information officer at the Department of the Treasury, has taken on three acting leadership roles at the General Services Administration (GSA), expanding his responsibilities across key federal technology and acquisition organizations. According to ExecutiveGov, Corcos will serve as acting director of Technology Transformation Services (TTS), acting deputy commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), and acting assistant commissioner of Login.gov. The appointments come as GSA continues efforts to modernize federal technology and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government services. Corcos, who joined the federal government in 2025 after working in the technology sector, succeeds Gregory Barbaccia as acting TTS director and will now oversee several programs central to federal digital services, procurement and identity verification.
Navy Advances 3D Printing Standards to Accelerate Submarine Production
The U.S. Navy is expanding its use of 3D-printed metal components to help accelerate submarine construction, maintenance and repairs. According to ExecutiveGov, the Navy recently issued new technical requirements designed to create a standardized process for replacing traditionally manufactured cast and wrought components with additive-manufactured parts. The new framework is intended to reduce repetitive engineering reviews, design changes and testing that have slowed adoption of 3D printing, allowing shipbuilders and suppliers to deploy qualified components more quickly. The effort could help address supply-chain shortages and obsolete parts while increasing submarine production capacity, supporting the Navy’s goal of building one Columbia-class and two Virginia-class submarines each year without compromising safety or quality standards.
Upcoming Events and Conferences
Global Security Exchange (GSX) 2026
9/14/2026 –9/16/2026
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center | Atlanta, GA
Security threats are evolving and becoming more complex. Elevate your knowledge and technical capabilities at GSX to rise against this shifting landscape. Access expert-led education covering critical physical and cybersecurity topics. Discover state-of-the-art innovations, products, and trends transforming security. Find inspiration in keynotes from next-level thought leaders and world-class speakers. Go where the entire global security community converges to connect, collaborate, and meet tomorrow’s challenges head on.
About SE&M
SE&M Solutions LLC is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) headquartered in Harrisburg, PA. We are experts in personnel security, continuous vetting, Trusted Workforce 2.0 (TW2.0) policies, processes, and information technology. We offer professional services and IT support including staff augmentation, consulting, planning and implementation for clients in the federal, state, local and commercial sectors. For more information, contact SE&M at info@semsolutionsllc.com.