Lawmaker: Human Problem at Pentagon Worse than Tech Problem

U.S. defense leaders often lament the difficulty of attracting commercial technology firms to work with the military to solve complicated challenges. But right now, with roughly half of its top leadership billets occupied by temps, the Pentagon has a people problem. “For all of our love of technology, we could have a greater human problem than we do a tech problem, because you need Senate-confirmed people of ability, competence and vision,” Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., chairman of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, said Thursday at the Defense One Tech Summit.