Category Archives: Defense
The Texas Electric Grid on U.S. National Security
I had the privilege of speaking to a crowd of nearly 200 people at the 2016 Texas Grid Security Summit in Austin, Texas on the importance of Texas to U.S. National Security. Watch brief highlights of my presentation here. I was joined … Continue reading
SHOCK: Congress is finally doing something RIGHT, except…
This post originally appeared at allenbwest.com. One of the responsibilities I take very seriously as a result of having this platform is to keep y’all informed, especially my brother and sister veterans. Right now the House and Senate Armed Services … Continue reading
The Hidden Enemy
This post originally appeared in my townhall column: “There is a Chinese proverb that states, “May you live in interesting times,” which has become a defining character of these times in which we are living. This new 21st century battlefield has … Continue reading
The Decline of American Regard
This post originally appeared in West’s Townhall column: “When I was a Congressional representative from South Florida, one of the major concerns was beach re-nourishment, the process of pumping sand back onto eroded beaches. The district I represented was all coastline, from … Continue reading
Is the U.S. Military Falling Apart?
The following video from Foxnews should should concern us all: “Fox Exposes Military Readiness Crisis” Planes are falling apart and those that maintain them have reached a point of exhaustion. But what does this mean? Spend more money? Keep making … Continue reading
Budgeting Alternatives for the Department of Defense
The United States careens from one budget crisis to another while the national debt — now $20 trillion — continues to rise. This trend is a stark reminder that the federal budget process needs a complete overhaul. And, with one of the largest … Continue reading
The Cost of Military Education Benefits
Military spouse and volunteer contributor Nadeen Wincapaw suggests reforming U.S. military education programs could be one method towards Building a capable and fiscally responsible military — one of the five points of our Provide for the Common Defense petition, which you can sign here. She … Continue reading
Plenty of generals and few soldiers
We learned today in a recent report at the Daily Beast that our U.S. armed forces, “is notably short on soldiers, but apparently not on generals.” The report explains that “There are at least 12 U.S. generals in Iraq, a stunningly high number … Continue reading
Who Do We Value in America?
The following originally appeared in my townhall column: “In this election cycle, the liberal progressive socialist left is going to the ideological bank to tout the important issue of income inequality. We will hear the incessant calls for a $15 … Continue reading
Serious Changes Coming to Military Acquisition
“The way the military buys weapon systems needs serious reform, and it appears that the House Armed Services Committee agrees. Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) recently introduced H.R. 4741, the Acquisition Agility Act. This legislation is a good start … Continue reading