Citizen Writers Fighting Censorship by Helping Americans Understand Issues Affecting the Republic.
West Point’s Worldview; There is a moral aspect to leadership. Even in the evil business of war there is a moral aspect to every life and death decision. Formerly, the United States Army was grounded in a consensus Judeo-Christian culture. It had a moral-ethical basis which could be traced to words written in the Holy Bible. …
By John R. “Buck” Surdu On 20 December 22, Congress yet again broke faith with our allies. According to the Washington Post, Congress dropped from its $1.7 billion omnibus spending bill an amendment that would have created a pathway to residency for Afghan refugees, dimming the hopes for tens of thousands of people rescued as …
The NRO FIA program continues to struggle on the optical side, while the radar and ground deliveries hum along. However, radar is no substitute for optical and as we close on demonstrating some uses that exemplify the value of radar while acknowledging such, FIA failure to deliver has brought the community to the brink of a Gap in capability.
An Open Letter to my Fellow Army General Officers- We all commissioned into the Army with ideals and a determination to make a difference. We would lead with character, create effective teams to win on future battlefields, and advance our beloved institution, all the while, remaining loyal to our Constitution. During our service, we have …
Protecting the Bureaucracy over Country – A Story of How America’s National Security Apparatus is Subverting America
Henry Ford creates the assembly line and Def Sec McNamara creates a DoD program budget methodology that works very well for many programs but is not a panacea in consideration of Moore’s law. Meanwhile the NRO FIA program keeps digging (spending) in an attempt to buy their way to completion.
A huge “tell” emerges in the Boeing FIA effort as a large number of parts are scrapped when tin is found in them, resulting in delays and cost. Does the government have the best available subject matter experts helping run the FIA program? Worst practices and cost continue.
By the time you are reading this, Congress will most likely have passed a bill requiring the Pentagon to revoke its vaccine mandates for servicemembers. That is a victory for the rights of military personnel, and a rebuke of the Biden administration and the political apparatchiks populating the Pentagon and the Defense Department. Perhaps this …
How George Tenant became DCI, and Keith Hall Dir NRO: two former Senate Select Committee on Intelligence staff make good. The 4C1000 NRO History From 1962-1990.
A review of what you may have missed so far, as the costs pile up and ravage the IC budget like a wildfire and we review salient points about why.
NGA works requirements documentation and struggles with GEOSCOUT. The GAP Study Team finds a miracle in the Boeing proposal: the DNI makes a momentous decision.
FIA optical costs grow an order of magnitude, but schedule analytics barely estimate a 50% chance of delivery: but the IC funds projects at the expense of programs.
John R. “Buck” Surdu Ronald Reagan is credited with having said, “Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world. A veteran doesn’t have that problem.” This is the kind of quote that “fact checkers” on Internet like to debunk. Whether Regan said it or not, …
The Gap Study gains momentum, and we go down memory lane on a number of IC programs that exemplify how poor the acquisition record has been for a long time
Most Americans would prefer to think of China as a friendly nation with a different political and economic perspective of the world. That’s certainly how the current occupant of the White House sees China—at least, that is what he says publicly. Privately, he may have other reasons for viewing China and its autocratic leader, Xi …
NRO FIA program struggles amid acquisition nuances and spiraling costs that wipe out a decade worth of promising technology programs from ~2004-2008 to pay the bill.
Planes, Tanks, and Ships; The New Look of Modern Warfare, Bigger Doesn’t Mean Better
Digital imagery and digital signal processing become a “yuge deal,” the Army mans the DITB-DEMONS, and plans the TACIES System, later canceled by Richard Armitage leading to Desert Storm shortfalls.
Veterans, It’s Time to Keep Your Oath. America Needs Its Veteran Population to Stand Up Now More Than Ever America is in danger. If the economic devastation and cultural decay over the decades is not enough, their acceleration under the Biden administration should concern all who value liberty. Add to this a dedicated plan to destroy …
Why do we do the same things over and over? To quote Tevye from “Fiddler on the Roof” — Tradition!