VA tells its own to interact with public via blogs, Facebook, Twitter

The VA just might be the hippest government agency around. First, it said it will allow employees to use the iPad and iPhone come October 1. And now, the agency has instituted a policy that favors workers using an array of social media tools – not just internally, either.

That’s right: The VA “endorses secure use of Web-based collaboration and social media tools to enhance communication, stakeholder outreach collaboration, and information exchange; streamline processes; and foster productivity improvements,” according to the new policy, which also explains that “VA employees are encouraged to interact with the public online as long as that interaction does not interfere with the employee’s performance of his or her official duties.”...