Great to see decisive leadership at the helm in the Army! As a former Battalion Commander, I vividly recall pitching a cost-saving solution to replace our outdated WIN-T JNNs and CPNs with COTS VSAT antennas and newer, more capable baseband, backed by hard budget numbers. Despite the evidence, the idea was shelved—likely due to risk-averse leadership hesitant to challenge entrenched Programs of Record. That inertia cost the Army millions and hindered our ability to deliver reliable communications. So, it’s incredibly refreshing to see genuine leadership from Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Dan Driscoll, tackling not just symptoms but the root causes holding back our Army’s next offset. His bold, unfiltered address at the AUSA annual meeting—complete with an F-bomb—called out the inefficiencies in Army acquisitions and outdated systems that leave soldiers with obsolete gear. His plan to unify purchasing entities, slash contracting cycles from years to months, and secure the right to repair equipment (like 3D-printing a $14,000 Black Hawk part for $3,000) is a game-changer. Driscoll’s vision—to prioritize silicon and software over soldiers’ blood—resonates deeply. His push for rapid innovation, inspired by Silicon Valley and Ukraine’s agile drone updates, is exactly what our Army needs to stay ahead. As he said, “Our actions today decide the fate of our future Army.” Let’s rally behind leaders like Driscoll who dare to disrupt the status quo and ensure our soldiers are equipped to fight and win. What do you think?
A New Era of Army Acquisition
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