Integrating cutting-edge technology into military formations is less about the gadgets themselves and more about organizational agility. Host Tom Galvin sits down with a Carlisle Scholars Program research team—John Williams, Jeremy Jackson, and Antonio Ilario—to discuss how the military can better adopt disruptive technologies.
The team highlights that bureaucratic acquisition traditionally moves in years, while modern tech evolves in months. This friction leaves frontline operators innovating outside official channels while formal requirements play catch-up.
To bridge this gap, the researchers emphasize the need to incentivize frontline innovators, foster a culture of calculated risk, and utilize specialized hubs like the Pathway for Innovative Technology (PIT) to act as a clear “front door” for game-changing ideas.
The requirements process moves in years, while technology always moves in months.
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Antonio Ilario is a colonel in the Italian Army with command and staff experience at tactical, operational, and strategic levels. He has deployed to Lebanon, Chad, Kosovo, and Afghanistan, where he served as a Signal Advisor to the Afghan National Army. Most recently, he was Executive Officer to the Commander of KFOR in Kosovo. He is a member of the AY26 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College, an International Fellow and a member of the Carlisle Scholars Program.
Jeremy Jackson is a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, Adjutant General Corps. Following graduation from the War College he is heading to the 200th Military Police Command. He is a member of the AY26 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College and a member of the Carlisle Scholars Program.
John M. Williams II is a lieutenant colonel and an Army Acquisition officer with 22 years of experience advancing modernization across combat tech integration, S&T leadership, CBRNE defense, and virtual training systems. He has led major programs for AFC, USARPAC, SOF, and the IC, and holds advanced degrees in leadership, biomedical engineering, and materials science. He is a member of the AY26 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College and a member of the Carlisle Scholars Program.
Tom Galvin is Associate Professor of Resource Management in the Department of Command Leadership and Management (DCLM) as well as the leadership and management instructor for the Carlisle Scholars Program. at the United States Army War College. He is the author of the monograph Leading Change in Military Organizations and companion Experiential Activity Book.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of War.
Photo Credit: Created by Gemini
