Several tech CEOs have joined the Pentagon as advisors, but the process behind their appointments has raised eyebrows.
Earlier this month, the United States Army announced the launch of a new program that was designed to help integrate “cutting-edge tech expertise” from the private sector with “military innovation.” As part of the US Army’s Executive Innovation Corps, four civilians from Silicon Valley were recruited to serve on a part-time basis.
The individuals coming from the private sector are Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer for Palantir; Andrew Bosworth, chief technology officer of Meta; Kevin Weil, chief product officer of OpenAI; and Bob McGrew, advisor at Thinking Machines Lab and former chief research officer for OpenAI. All four were officially sworn in as lieutenant colonels, skipping the usual preliminaries of enlistment and officer commissioning. As reservists, they will serve approximately 120 hours a week and will likely work remotely, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
The tech execs were recruited to help the US Army’s efforts to acquire commercial technology. The Pentagon has attempted to leverage commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology in recent years to enhance its capabilities and modernize its systems. One concern has been whether the branches of the military have the personnel, especially in mid-level leadership positions, to lead or direct those efforts. It would seem that the Executive Innovation Corps could fill that role.
Were the Tech Leaders’ Commissions Necessary?
Since its formation 250 years ago as the Continental Army, the US Army has employed civilians to bring their knowledge, skills, and experience. Not all of those civilians are full-time employees, and the Army already employs consultants in a range of roles, including leadership development. Consultants bridge the gap between the military and civilian sectors.
At the same time, the direct commission officer program has recruited civilians who are deemed to have a special skill or experience critical to military operations. This has typically included those with experience in law, science, medicine, intelligence, engineering, and even public affairs.
For example, Dr. Bashford Dean, the curator of the Arms and Armor gallery at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, received a direct commission during the First World War due to his expertise in historical armor and its application to the modern battlefield. Dean was commissioned as a Major of Ordnance and led the efforts of the Armor Unit, while he was made “Chairman of the Committee on Helmets and Body Armor of the National Research Council.”
More recently, former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg had each received direct commissions via a Navy Reserve program, serving as a public affairs officer and an intelligence officer, respectively.
The US Army also introduced Direct Commission Programs for the Cyber Corps, the Military Intelligence Corps, and the Signal Corps in recent years. In January 2024, Chelsea Michta, who had earned master’s and doctoral degrees, became the first scholar to receive an active-duty direct commission into the Army’s Military Intelligence Corps (MIC). Captain Michta now heads up the Army Europe Open Source Center.
However, the direct commission program has come under scrutiny, notably in the case of Hunter Biden, the troubled son of former President Joe Biden. The younger Biden received a direct commission into the Naval Reserve but was discharged less than a year later after testing positive for cocaine.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
