David Walker is a past Comptroller General of the United States, professor at the US Naval Academy, former Defense Business Board appointee, and author. He's on the Cold Star Project to discuss the role of culture in government operations, including with his own experience in the Government Accountability Office and on the Defense Business Board. Host Jason Kanigan asks:  

// Defense Business Board // 
- what is the purpose of the Board, both the official wording and from your point of view? Do you believe it is meeting that purpose? -What are some of the projects that you worked on? 
-what changes or initiatives can the Board make? 
-What are some of the biggest business challenges facing the DoD? 
-what did your experience as US Comptroller General allow you to bring into the appointment to the Defense Business Board? What perspective do you believe you brought; what were you most “on alert” for? -what most surprised you in your service on the Board? Was it people- or process-based?  

// US Comptroller General 98-08 - 15-year, non renewable term appointment, Government Accountability Office (audit institution, part of the legislative branch) // 
-roles like this often don’t have a “rules manual” and you must create the role “your way” as you go. Did you find this to be the case? How did you adapt to the situation if so? 
-you have a supposedly non partisan bureaucracy working for you as the GAO. How did you find that and how did information flow to you? What kind of decisions did you make? What were your main accomplishments at GSP?  

// America In 2040: Still A Superpower? book // 
-tell us about the book and your main premise or argument--reviews talk about “fiscal sanity” and government spending 
-We think “America’s fine; we still have all the tools”, but what do you think about the constant underestimation of costs and overestimation of capabilities? eg. USS Gerald Ford setbacks...latest is unable to launch planes, $13B price tag for non-functional platform 
-Will America still have the financial power to fund itself as a superpower? 
-Do you believe space is an important theater for America to remain a superpower? What are other major security theaters?   

Useful Links:  America In 2040: Still a Superpower? book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L4KBPX5/ 
[NOT an affiliate link]  

GAO website: https://www.gao.gov/about/what-gao-is/ 
DFB website: https://dbb.defense.gov/  
Disclaimer: We were not remunerated in any way by David Walker for discussing his book or any other topics.   

OpEx Society: https://www.opexsociety.org

Talk to Cold Star: https://www.coldstartech.com/bookcall

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