Our Nation’s Missile Defense Acquisition is being revolutionized and reformed, as noted by the acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Honorable Dale Marks. Our Nation’s best Acquisition General Officer is General Dale White, and in his “Bill Walsh” manner captures the essence of letting the score take care of itself by setting the conditions to Win with acquisition. We were all honored to listen to him present here in Denver, Colorado this week.
“I would say leadership again and again, I know that sounds cliche but lead with vision lead ruthlessly, People that intend to solve the operational problem come together as an Air Force. You know, if you want to know what acquisition is as a warfighting function means, it means come together as a team the operational team, the acquiring team and deliver on the outcome. And sometimes that means you are going to make some tough decisions that you have to have courage to make. Make the decision, drive for the outcome, And I think that’s key. I would just ask: by the way, are you getting trouble? Are you getting overwhelmed? Pop a Flare there is still people there that are ready to encourage you to go. Yeah, but you get that obstacle. That’s what we’re supposed to be doing. We’re supposed to be focusing on those things that are preventing you from delivering the operational outcome.”
–General Dale White, 2026 AFA Warfare Symposium. Denver, CO. February 25, 2026.
General Dale White—Director, Critical Major Weapon Systems, Office of the Secretary of War and one of two direct reporting portfolio managers (DRPM) to the Deputy Secretary of War—presented on a panel titled “Acquisition Reform: A Warfighting Imperative” at the 2026 AFA Warfare Symposium in Denver, Colorado. The panel aligned on three movements required for Acquisition Reform.
Empowered Execution
- Leaders must shift from controlling oversight to enabling team autonomy and problem-solving.
- Empower teams to execute without constant check-ins, creating a culture where they report problems, not just progress.
- Decentralizing authority requires a clear strategy for managing shared standards and scarce resources.
- True transformation occurs when individuals at all levels accept responsibility to lead, rather than waiting for top-down direction.
Strategic Alignment
- Organizational change requires aligning talent, structure, and perspective with overarching mission outcomes.
- Strategic talent management matches the right person to a specific mission outcome, not just a role.
- Lasting change is driven by demonstrable actions, not new policy documents.
- Program managers must deliver an integrated warfighting capability, not just a product on time and budget.
Fostering a Culture of Change
- Effective change management addresses resistance by framing new approaches as opportunities for growth and impact.
- Leaders must solicit solutions from those closest to the work, not impose them from a distance.
- Encourage teams to take calculated risks and challenge the status quo, as progress requires courage, not permission.
- Industry partners must prioritize national defense outcomes over business optimization when the threat is urgent.
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