I was recently told that one of our team members was selected as an Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) International’s 2013 Leadership Award winner. AFCEA is recognizing what I have known all along.
People who understand and enjoy math and science have a great curiosity for why and how things work. That curiosity drives them not only to discover and learn, but to innovate and create. I fear that many kids are losing a sense of curiosity too early in their development.
After every major conflict in our history, the military has retrenched as the post-war budget is dramatically reduced. The same holds true as we wind down our commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq. But unlike past post-war drawdowns, this retrenchment is combined with an unprecedented fiscal firestorm and a long overdue need for budget reform.
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of attending the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Honor Guard Gala at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington DC. Just like in previous years, it was an incredibly moving event, and a beautiful tribute to the sacrifices of our fallen heroes and their loved ones.
I had become optimistic that as a nation we had finally woken up to the fact that we have a dire need for people skilled in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines. But I stumbled on two articles last week that made me shake my head and wonder -- does our nationreally get it?
The need to beef up America’s cybersecurity got a strong shout-out in the President’s State of the Union Address on February 12th. This is a huge and long-overdue public recognition of the cyber threat we face.
Congress needs to stop rationalizing things to death and check their egos and ideology at the door. They must compromise where need be to fund the government on time, get the best deficit reduction deal possible, and not let our nation default on its obligations. The long-term economic consequences of further stalemate are dire.