As the leader of human capital for the U.S. Space Force, Katharine Kelley is on the frontlines of creating the workforce of the future for the military’s newest service. That effort could serve as a launch pad for modernizing the way the Department of Defense manages its workforce across the entire HR lifecycle, from recrutiment and hiring to retention and retirement. On this energetic episode of CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE, Kelley shares how she’s leading the effort to rethink the role of HR in the U.S. military, how the Space Force Personnel Management Act will serve as a gamechanger on that journey, and why workforce innovation isn’t just about technology.

Katharine Kelley: Why DOD’s HR Revolution Might Start in Space

Palantir has emerged over the decade as a unicorn in the defense and national security space, leveraging its innovative roots to disrupt the legacy defense industrial base. As CTO and employee #13, Shyam Sankar has helped transform and scale Palantir from a Silicon Valley startup to a global leader in AI and data analytics software. Sankar joins CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE to share his vision for Palantir as it continues to cement itself as leader in the American national security space, his thoughts for how the Pentagon can continue to evolve to rapidly adopt technology at scale, what his new role as a member of the Army's Detachment 201 will entail, and much more.

Shyam Sankar: Inside Palantir's Vision to Transform U.S. Defense

The U.S. Department of Defense knows what it faces in modern adversaries like China and Russia. Yet, the joint forces are more focused on building PowerPoints instead of power projection. As the deputy chief of staff for strategy, integration and requirements, retired Lt. Gen. Clint Hinote was one of the Air Force’s top strategic thinkers. And on this episode of CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE, he doesn't hold back on what the next fight will look like and why he believes the U.S. isn't ready for the conflicts ahead.

Lt. Gen. Clint Hinote: Why the Pentagon can't move fast enough

After a more than three year stint in various roles across the Pentagon, Radha Plumb was appointed as Chief Digital and AI Officer in April 2024, a position she served in until the end of the Biden administration. Now on the other side of that service, she joined CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE to reflect on her tenure, the direction of the CDAO, the adoption of AI in the context of the U.S. military, and much more. 

Radha Plumb: What's next for the Pentagon's AI office

Can venture capital unlock the Pentagon’s innovation problem? Alex Harstrick of J2 Ventures, an Army reservist and former leader of the Defense Innovation Unit's National Security Innovation Capital team, joins CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE to explore how startup speed and private-sector risk-taking could reshape defense. We dig into where VC is making a real impact, where it struggles against DOD bureaucracy, and what it will take for government and investors to actually work together to deliver the next wave of national security technology.

How startup speed and private-sector risk-taking could reshape defense

The debate rages on — and it's coming to a head. Does the U.S. military need an independent cyber force? Or should the services retain their own cyber organizations with specialization in the domains in which they operate? Josh Stiefel, vice president of government relations for Second Front Systems and a former professional staffer for the House Armed Services Committe, is one of the prominent voices advocating for studying the prospect of an independent cyber force, recently helping launch the Commission on U.S. Cyber Force Generation at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Stiefel joins CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE to dig into the debate and share what's ahead. 

Josh Stiefel: The independent cyber force debate

Despite dramatic advance in AI and compute power, the Pentagon still largely operates as an organization driven by spreadsheets and PowerPoint. To become a truly data-centric force, the U.S. military services must move beyond this to adopt advanced data analytics and AI tools for making critical decisions with speed and accuracy. Govini is one of the top commercial entities leading that charge, and its CEO, Tara Murphy Dougherty, joins CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE this week to discuss why the U.S. must move decisively and without hesitation into this new era, or risk putting itself in a losing position against its top adversaries.

Tara Murphy Dougherty: Hesitation loses wars — Why the DOD needs a new tech playbook

When Katie Arrington was named to her role performing the duties of the CIO for the Department of Defense, which the Trump administration is now calling the Department of War, she took that charge seriously. As such, she’s not just keeping a seat warm until the Senate approves a new CIO. Instead, Arrington, who knows what it takes to get things dones in the Pentagon, has been helllbent to drive IT reform to deliver better software and digital services that warfighters depend on. In an energetic new episode of CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE, Arrington shares why she returned to the Pentagon during the second Trump administration, what’s in store for the department’s IT and much more.

Katie Arrington: Connecting tech reform to the warfighter mission

The Department of Defense is quickly running out of time to modernize and build capacity in anticipation of a potential conflict with China. In this episode, we sit down with Chris Brose, Chief Strategy Officer at Anduril Industries and author of The Kill Chain, to discuss how emerging technologies — and the industrial partners building them at scale — could reshape national defense. Brose shares insights on the future of U.S. military innovation, the role of software and autonomy in modern warfare, and how the defense industry must evolve to stay ahead of global competitors.

Chris Brose: How Anduril is paving its path as the next defense unicorn

Venture capital has become an integral part of of the defense innovation ecosystem. And there’s perhaps no Silicon Valley VC firm leaning in to support national security- and defense-focused startup more than Andreessen Horowitz through its American Dynamism initiative. Matt Cronin, senior national security advisor at Andreessen Horowitz, joins this episode of CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE to explore that evolving intersection of venture-funded innovation and defense, and how the nation can make more room for early-stage startups to bolster national security.

Matt Cronin: Why Andreessen Horowitz has bet big on defense

Coming August 4: CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE podcast hosted by Billy Mitchell and Meagan Metzger! 
A raw, unfiltered new podcast from DefenseScoop and Dcode, exploring how cutting-edge technology, institutional barriers, and evolving national security priorities collide in today’s defense landscape.


CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE features candid conversations with leaders across defense, tech, venture capital, and policy—bringing forward diverse perspectives on the future of defense innovation.


From the front lines of government to the forefront of technology, this series examines the challenges and breakthroughs shaping tomorrow’s mission-critical decisions—with no spin, no agenda, and no filter.
⁠Stay tuned. ⁠


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About DefenseScoop 
DefenseScoop is the premier community-driven news source dedicated to the U.S. military’s acquisition, development and use of technology as a force for modern defense. As the Department of Defense moves in the direction of Joint All Domain Command and Control and other initiatives to connect the joint force and fight future battles, DefenseScoop will deliver the latest insights, trends and analysis on this pivotal transformation and engage Pentagon and service senior leaders to discuss ways technology can be a central fixture in our nation’s ability to understand threats, make decisions and take action in a rapid manner. ⁠https://defensescoop.com/about/

Radha Plumb: What's next for the Pentagon's AI office

CTRL + ALT + DEFENSE

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