Dr. Hamre’s comments in Federal Times. The kicker:

To date, most investments in new technology have not produced major productivity improvements because we have introduced new technology into unchanging organizations with inflexible operational concepts. Computers simply streamlined obsolete business practices. True productivity will come only when we break free of the current structure and let new business practices and technology produce new management approaches.

I suspect that this new approach will shift more of Defense business operations, and the management of those operations, into the private sector. To be successful, government managers will need to recast their concepts of responsibility and oversight, and develop the capacity to manage private-sector partners in a more sophisticated way.

We can’t understate the difficulty of this challenge. But senior Defense Department leaders know that failure to act now condemns the department to a future of unbearable tradeoffs. Structural reform in the business operations of the department is the only way to avoid this dilemma. It is our job to support Defense leaders.

Applies to Defense, Intel, so many others. Broke-d*** systems running on Pentiums are just faster broke-d*** systems. Leaves more time to play Freecell and run your covert Kazaa network.

About the Author

Michael Tanji

Michael Tanji spent nearly 20 years in the US intelligence community. Trained in both SIGINT and HUMINT disciplines he has worked at the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and the National Reconnaissance Office. At various points in his career he served as an expert in information warfare, computer network operations, computer forensics, and indications and warning. A veteran of the US Army, Michael has served in both strategic and tactical assignments in the Pacific Theater, the Balkans, and the Middle East.