Maj. Gen. David M. Edgington (USAF, Ret) joins us to discuss leadership and innovation through his work during Kosovo, the Surge in Iraq, and Air Force acquisitions.
DOWNLOAD: Sea Control 59 – Innovation from Kosovo to Baghdad
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This week we concluded our campaign on Kickstarter and we could not be happier, having successfully met our goal and then some. So we want to take a brief pause from writing about drones, pirates, and tanker traffic and thank our readers, our contributors, our promoters, and especially our backers.
Several months ago when we designed this campaign, we were unsure if we would raise enough funds to cover our minimal expenses and legal fees allowing us to file for non-profit status. Yet, within 12 hours of launching, you helped us reach our Kickstarter goal for a campaign set to last nearly a month. In total, over 40 backers helped us raise more than $3000 through Kickstarter and other methods. With this amount, the CIMSEC leadership team is excited to further grow and improve the organization.
With the average donation amounting to $70, this fundraising campaign exemplifies your commitment and passion to CIMSEC’s mission, and there is no way to price the encouragement this level of support and enthusiastic response has given us. Simply put, you are awesome and we aspire to make you proud.
For those who donated, within the next few weeks you will receive a receipt from us in addition to further information regarding the rewards that you selected. Additionally, we are proud to announce that all contributors to this campaign will receive an advanced copy of CIMSEC’s first published compendium, Forgotten Naval Strategists, in recognition of your efforts. If you have any questions regarding the rewards or your contribution, do not hesitate to reach out to me at treasurer@cimsec.org.
Again, on behalf of the CIMSEC leadership team, thank you for your support.
Respectfully,
Bret Perry, Treasurer
Scott Cheney-Peters, President & Founder
Two Events Bookend CIMSEC’s UK Chapter Meet-Up:
Courtesy of the Royal Marines the UK Chapter of CIMSEC is hosting an informal meet-up at Stonehouse Barracks in Plymouth on Saturday 8th November. Come and join us to meet some very interesting people, have a tour of the barracks and discuss all things maritime.
The Sergeant’s Mess, where the meeting will be held, has very kindly offered to provide a buffet for the evening for the price of £5 per person. The event is due to start at around 6pm and finish around 10.30 pm.
We have also been invited to accompany the Royal Marines for the Remembrance Day Service on the Hoe on Sunday 9th November. This is scheduled to commence at 10.30 am, but due to limited parking it is advised to arrive early. If you are able to join us it would be great to see you and it promises to be a most memorable occasion.
Day 1: Saturday 8th November (6pm – 10pm)
Informal meet-up at the Stonehouse Royal Marine Barracks (PL1 3QS). (Buffet £5 per person.)
Day 2: Sunday 9th November (10am – onwards)
Attend the Remembrance Day Service at Plymouth Hoe with the Royal Marines. (PL1 2LR)
Dress code: Smart casual would be preferred for both occasions.
Due to space and base security restrictions at Stonehouse RSVP’s are required, so if you would like to come please contact me on cjstockdalegarbutt@gmail.com preferably no later than November 2nd.
If you have any questions about the event or would like to suggest a future venue please send me an email on the above address.
As part of our continuing Innovation Week (or two weeks – call it innovation), we will be posting the contestant pieces from the DEF Innovation Contest. Originally posted at the DEF Website.
On Sunday, 26 October, the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum hosted an innovation competition sponsored by the United States Naval Institute. $5,000 in prizes were awarded after the eight contestants made their pitches. We will feature the one-pagers from the competition over the next 8 days. The following contribution is from Josh Steinman, a US Naval Officer.
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Software is increasingly becoming the defining mechanism by which the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps achieve tactical, operational, and strategic decision dominance. Previously the Department of Defense had achieved this ability through industry.
As software takes on increasingly prominent roles in the Department of Defense, we will need to establish closer relations with the industry that builds it, much like the Department of Defense built long-standing ties to the industrial base during the pre-War, inter-War, and post-War periods of the early 20th century. These close links will ensure that the DoD retains the ability to rapidly integrate cutting edge digital technologies into our operations, as well as influence their development at all stages.
One high-impact, low cost way to advance this goal is to establish a small joint detachment of hand-picked DoD personnel to operate primarily in Silicon Valley that would act as an intellectual “long-range reconnaissance squad”. This entity would consist of approximately 10 personnel nominated by a small group of senior officers and civilians (plus 1 support and 1 General or Flag Officer), stationed in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Their mission would be to help integrate the defense and software industries by achieving the following tasks:
a. Ensure continuity of action before, during, and after senior officer and civilian visits with entities in the non-Defense technology sector. Achieve this by acting as travel agent for senior officials before they depart (coordinating visits with local technology companies), local guide upon arrival, note-taker and action officer while engaged on the ground, and execution agent upon the senior’s departure.
b. Identify early-stage ventures with potential DOD applicability and connect them with appropriate resources to utilize their technology for DOD purposes. Interface with DOD and service-centric early-stage and midstage venture capital firms, and liaison with entities such as DARPA, IARPA, US Army REF, CNO’s Rapid Innovation Cell, and OSD RTTO.
c. Educate students, entrepreneurs, academics, and venture capitalists on DOD challenges and process with an eye towards changing attitudes towards the DOD. This would include conducting “presence missions” at regular events like SXSW, TECHCRUNCH DISRUPT, and even Burning Man.
My proposed first step is to send an exploratory detachment of 3-5 officers out to Silicon Valley for a one-month site survey mission that would result in a full proposal white-paper, to be submitted to the Joint Chiefs of Staff within 90 days of their return. Costs for such a survey are on the order of $6,000 per person, for one month.
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