To Implement Acquisition Reform, Empower Military Mavericks

“I wanted disciplined but not regimented thinking. Commanders must encourage intellectual risk-taking to preclude a lethargic environment. Leaders must shelter those challenging nonconformists and mavericks who make institutions uncomfortable; otherwise you wash out innovation.”— James Mattis & Bing West, Call Sign ChaosFor the last decade, the Pentagon has had the authorities to buy commercially derived technologies at speed and scale, but not enough people who know how to use those authorities. Successive senior Pentagon leaders, both military and civilian, have asserte