Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), Chair and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Cyber, Information Technology, and Innovation subcommittee, sent a letter to the Pentagon’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO) expressing concern over the organization receiving the lowest workforce survey score at the Department. The members highlighted the important role that the CDAO’s team plays in modern warfare and demanded a briefing on ways to improve the experience of those in CDAO’s workforce.
In part, the members wrote, “Modern war not only demands rapid integration of technology on the battlefield, but also the cultivation of a talented, highly skilled workforce that is properly motivated. We understand that CDAO is a new organization, but to attract and retain top-level talent your team must empower staff, lead by example, and imbue them with a sense of mission. These survey results suggest this is not currently happening.”
See the letter HERE or read full text below.
Dear Dr. Martell,
As Chair and Ranking Member of the Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation (CITI) subcommittee, we write with concern over the results of a recent workforce survey of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO) organization, and specifically dissatisfaction with lack of empowerment and leadership. CDAO received the lowest scores across the entire Department of Defense (DOD).
Modern war not only demands rapid integration of technology on the battlefield, but also the cultivation of a talented, highly skilled workforce that is properly motivated. We understand that CDAO is a new organization, but to attract and retain top-level talent your team must empower staff, lead by example, and imbue them with a sense of mission. These survey results suggest this is not currently happening. While a survey is only a snapshot of the health of an organization, and the score for leadership was only one of several categories in the evaluation, your office was the only DOD component to score negatively.
We ask that you deliver a briefing to the Chair and Ranking Member of the CITI Subcommittee no later than June 30th which summarizes efforts to respond to the matters identified by your workforce. This briefing should include efforts to (1) institutionalize a lasting organizational structure, (2) clarify roles and responsibilities of the CDAO subcomponents both internally to the CDAO workforce and externally to the wider DOD, and (3) expand communications between senior leaders and the CDAO workforce.
We look forward to hearing back from you and your team and the results of the requested briefing.
Sincerely,
Issues: National Defense
Original source can be found here.
