{"id":44829,"date":"2020-11-24T21:19:07","date_gmt":"2020-11-24T21:19:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/11\/24\/pentagon-transition-begins-with-a-covid-19-twist\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:46:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:46:20","slug":"pentagon-transition-begins-with-a-covid-19-twist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/smr\/transition\/2020\/11\/24\/pentagon-transition-begins-with-a-covid-19-twist\/","title":{"rendered":"Pentagon transition begins, with a COVID-19 twist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Less than a day after the General Services Administration opened the doors for the landing team<\/a> from the Biden-Harris campaign to arrive at the Pentagon, members have already had two conversations with current defense officials, with more to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But while the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 lays out clear directives on how one administration helps usher in the next \u2014 it literally comes with a handbook on best practices \u2014 this transition, like so much else in 2020, may require some flexibility thanks to COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The GSA\u2019s move \u2014 which came after growing criticisms<\/a> from Democrats who felt the agency was slow-rolling the start of the transition for political purposes \u2014 freed up funds, office space and, critically for the Pentagon transition, allowed the sharing of sensitive information with the incoming team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the transition is kicking off just as the Pentagon upped its level of COVID preparedness. As a result, maximum occupancy has dropped to 40 percent, with extra temperature checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\t