The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Heinz Bachman. Bachman was born in Germany in 1921 and immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1924. Upon graduating from high school in 1939, he joined the Army Air Corps and underwent basic training in Hawaii. Bachman trained as an auto mechanic and was assigned to Hickam Airfield, Hawaii. He tells of his experiences during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Later, he was selected for flight training and recalls the disappointment he felt when he washed out of the program. In 1945 he was sent to England and was as a member of the United States Strategic Bombing Survey teams to serve as an interpreter.

Interview with Bernice Kearney, the news director at KSAT 12 News in San Antonio. She discusses her background and career as a news producer.

Interview with Nora Lopez, metro editor at the San Antonio Express News newspaper. She discusses her childhood and visiting family regularly in Mexico, as well as becoming an American citizen in 2008. She also talks about her education and her career in newspaper journalism.

Interview with Yolette Garcia, Assistant Dean for External Affairs & Outreach at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She discusses her career in both radio and television media, as well as her perspectives about the role and future of the media (and social media) and about being a woman in a primarily male field.

News release documenting Texas monthly sales tax revenue for March 2017 with a general summary and table of local sales tax allocations.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack Howe. Howe was drafted into the Navy in August 1943. He went to boot camp in Sampson, New York. From there he went to signal school in Baltimore. From there he went into the Armed Guard division of the Navy in New York City, aboard the Liberty Ship SS Edwin Markham. He served for one year aboard the ship as signalman. They traveled through the Panama Canal picking up sugar from Hawaii and delivering it to the San Francisco Hawaii Sugar Company in California. From there they went to the Philippines for a year and a half. After that Howe was transferred to the USS Baltimore (CA-68) in Hawaii. He served on this cruiser for one year, transferring supplies and ammunition to the islands in the Pacific. He visited Hiroshima after the bomb fell and provides some description of that experience. He was discharged in 1946.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether time spent as a county employee may be considered in determining county longevity pay . when the employee becomes an elected officer (RQ-0127-KP).

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Caramello Stramer. Stramer joined the Navy in February of 1942. He completed boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois, and he completed training in New London, Connecticut to serve aboard submarines. Stramer provides details on his experiences at both training locations. He served aboard the USS Puffer (SS-268) beginning April of 1943, as the motor machinist mate. He was stationed in the aft engine room, overseeing diesel engines. They went to Brisbane, Australia for additional training and repairs. In September 1943 they made their first patrol in the Makassar Straits. He goes into great detail of torpedoing a ship, coming under attack by the Japanese and other experiences through the Strait. Stramer discusses their other patrols through the South China Sea and around Singapore. Stramer also served aboard the USS Ray (SS-271) beginning July of 1944. He was discharged in December of 1945.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Disposition of revenue collected pursuant to section 502.403 of the Transportation Code, authorizing an optional county fee for child safety (RQ-0052-KP).

The objective of the ARM Science Board is to promote the Nation’s scientific enterprise by ensuring that the best quality science is conducted at the DOE’s User Facility known as the ARM Climate Research Facility. The goal of the User Facility is to serve scientific researchers by providing unique data and tools to facilitate scientific applications for improving understanding and prediction of climate science.

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami, Florida, along with the other 32 federal courthouses completed from 2000 to March 2010 include 3.56 million square feet of extra space consisting of space that was constructed (1) above the congressionally authorized size, (2) because of overestimating the number of judges the courthouses would have, and (3) without planning for courtroom sharing among judges. Overall, this extra space represents about 9 average-sized courthouses. The estimated cost to construct this extra space was $835 million in 2010 dollars, and the annual cost to rent, operate, and maintain it is $51 million. The Ferguson Courthouse specifically included approximately 238,000 extra square feet of space, which GAO estimated increased the construction cost by $48.5 million (in constant 2010 dollars) and an additional $3.5 million annually."

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James R. Snellen. Snellen was born 27 September 1926 in Bullitt County, Kentucky. He joined the Navy in April 1944 and went to Great Lakes Naval Training Center for boot camp. He then went to Fort Pierce, Florida for amphibious training as radioman and gunner on LCVPs. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Cofer (APD-62). At Leyte, Snellen saw the USS Mahan (DD-364) and the USS Lidde (APD-60) get hit by kamikazes. Afterwards, he boarded the stricken Lidde and scooped body parts over the side. While landing infantry on Mindoro, he observed the USS Nashville (CL-43) get hit by a kamikaze. In recalling one landing, in which the LCVP got stuck on a reef, Snellen saw the soldiers wading toward shore as a mortar round hit among them, killing them all. He also worked with underwater demolition teams at Borneo and tells of an attack on his ship during which crew shot down two Japanese planes. When Japan surrendered, the Cofer led six hospital ships through mine fields using a Japanese pilot arriving at Wakayama, Japan on 11 September. Upon departing, they sailed to Nagasaki and …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As of February 2013 our performance audits of the TARP programs have resulted in 66 recommendations to Treasury. Of the 66 recommendations, Treasury has implemented 51, or approximately 77 percent. Treasury has partially implemented 7 of the performance audit recommendations--that is, it has taken some steps toward implementation but needs to take more actions. Four performance audit recommendations remain open--that is, Treasury has not taken steps to implement them. Among these open recommendations are 2 recommendations directed at CPP and 2 recommendations directed at the MHA housing programs. Finally, with regard to 2 of the remaining 4 recommendations, Treasury officials told us that they were not planning to take actions to implement them. For the other 2 recommendations, the TARP program evolved and the recommendations are no longer applicable."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In March 2011 and February 2012, GAO reported on 6 areas where the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Congress could take action to reduce overlap and potential unnecessary duplication, and 9 areas to achieve cost-savings. Of the 22 actions GAO suggested be taken in March 2011 to address such issues, 2 were fully implemented, 14 were partially implemented, and 6 have not been addressed. GAO’s February 2012 report identified 18 additional actions to address overlap, potential duplication, and costs savings."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO identified several factors and challenges that contributed to the Department of Defense’s (DOD) implementation of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 2005 and the results achieved. In contrast to other BRAC rounds that were primarily focused on achieving savings by reducing excess infrastructure, the Secretary of Defense identified three goals for BRAC 2005. Specifically, BRAC 2005 was intended to (1) transform the military, (2) foster jointness, and (3) reduce excess infrastructure to produce savings. These goals and the primary selection criteria’s focus on enhancing military value led DOD to identify numerous recommendations that were designed to be transformational and enhance jointness, thereby adding to the complexity the BRAC Commission and DOD faced in finalizing and implementing the recommendations. Some transformational-type recommendations needed sustained attention by DOD and significant coordination and planning among multiple stakeholders. To improve oversight of implementation of the recommendations, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) required business plans for each BRAC 2005 recommendation to better manage implementation. In addition, DOD developed recommendations that were interdependent on each other. However, this led to challenges across multiple recommendations when delays in completing one recommendation led …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses the U.S. Department of State's (State) efforts to train its personnel. It is based on our report, which is being released today. Because State is the lead U.S. foreign affairs agency, its personnel require certain knowledge, skills, and abilities to equip them to address the global security threats and challenges facing the United States--including the threat of Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, HIV/AIDS and other pandemics, environmental degradation, nuclear proliferation, and failed states. In fiscal years 2006 through 2010, State's funding for training personnel grew by about 62 percent, and the department requested more than $266 million in fiscal year 2011 for programs providing training in professional skills such as foreign language proficiency, area studies, information technology, consular duties, and others needed for the conduct of foreign relations. State's Foreign Service Institute (FSI) is the primary training provider for the department's more than 66,000 Foreign Service, civil service, and locally employed staff worldwide. Our prior work has identified staffing and foreign language shortfalls at State, including challenges the department has faced in filling positions at the mid-level in particular, and in attracting qualified personnel for …

News release about DART's plans to increase the departure frequency of trains on part of its Red Line in response to projected increases in ridership due to rising gasoline prices.

News release about a prototype streetcar being tested by DART as it explores options for future streetcar projects in Dallas.

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Coast Guard's Deepwater program is a 25-year, $24 billion plan to replace or modernize its fleet of vessels and aircraft. While there is widespread acknowledgment that many of the Coast Guard's aging assets need replacement or renovation, concerns exist about the acquisition approach the Coast Guard adopted in launching the Deepwater program. From the outset, GAO has expressed concern about the risks involved with the Coast Guard's acquisition strategy, and continues to review Deepwater program management. This statement discusses (1) the Coast Guard's acquisition approach for the Deepwater program; (2) Coast Guard efforts to manage the program, hold contractors accountable, and control costs through competition; (3) the status of the Coast Guard's efforts to acquire new or upgraded Deepwater assets; and (4) operational challenges the Coast Guard is facing because of performance and design problems with Deepwater patrol boats."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As of March 1, 2007, over 24,000 servicemembers have been wounded in action since the onset of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), according to the Department of Defense (DOD). GAO work has shown that servicemembers injured in combat face an array of significant medical and financial challenges as they begin their recovery process in the health care systems of DOD and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). GAO was asked to discuss concerns regarding DOD and VA efforts to provide medical care and rehabilitative services for servicemembers who have been injured during OEF and OIF. This testimony addresses (1) the transition of care for seriously injured servicemembers who are transferred between DOD and VA medical facilities, (2) DOD's and VA's efforts to provide early intervention for rehabilitation for seriously injured servicemembers, (3) DOD's efforts to screen servicemembers at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and whether VA can meet the demand for PTSD services, and (4) the impact of problems related to military pay on injured servicemembers and their families. This testimony is based on GAO work issued from 2004 through 2006 on the …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) is a key Department of Defense (DOD) support organization that, among other things, generates reports for defense organizations such as the military services, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the Joint Staff. External organizations such as GAO and federally funded research and development centers also rely on DMDC for quantitative data and analyses pertaining to a wide variety of issues, including the numbers of DOD personnel in specified occupations or demographic groups, servicemembers' attitudes, and compensation. DMDC reports to DOD's Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. In describing its databases, DMDC states that it maintains the largest archive of personnel, manpower, training, and financial data in DOD. It also notes that the personnel data are broad in scope and extend back to the early 1970s covering all services, all components of the total force (active duty, guard, reserve, and civilian), and all phases of the personnel life cycle (accession, separation, and retirement). DMDC data serve as the basis for DOD's annual Population Representation in the Military Forces which, among other things, provides information on the …

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether a seawall funded from assessments levied pursuant to Local Government Code, chapter 372, subchapter A or B, may be built on privately-owned land (RQ-0528-GA)

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For many years, the Department of Defense (DOD) has been attempting to improve visibility over its inventory and equipment. The lack of visibility over inventory and equipment shipments increases vulnerability to undetected loss or theft and substantially heightens the risk that millions of dollars will be spent unnecessarily. Additionally, needed supplies may not reach the warfighter when needed, which may impair readiness. In order to improve visibility, DOD began using a technology to enable it to track shipments. This technology is known as radio frequency identification (RFID). RFID technology consists of active or passive electronic tags that are attached to equipment and supplies that are shipped from one location to another. This technology is part of a family of automatic information technologies used to enable hands-off identification of cargo and inventory. This report focuses on active RFID tags, which cost around $100 each and are reusable. DOD has been using active RFID technology since the early 1990s to help with in-transit visibility of shipments, and, as of January 2005, it officially began to implement the use of passive RFID. During the course of our work on the use …

A document collecting the four certificates given at the "Spring Cleaning Your Finances" League of Professional Women event. They include a green border and a re-made Mount Rushmore with women's faces. The certificates are for Dr. Mark Vosvick, Sindy Kong, Yvon Wang, and Rebecca Turner.