Modeling Risk as a System—How FORM Connects the Dots for Better Decision-Making

That lack of visibility becomes increasingly risky as mission demands evolve and timelines tighten. Manpower production modeling helps by mapping each stage of the pipeline, examining how individuals flow through it, and identifying where constraints influence readiness. Based on a paper by Tom Monroe, Ph.D., P.E., Marissa Miller, Ph.D., and Mario Beruvides, Ph.D., P.E. The […]

From Hazard Maps to Objective Paths — Reimagining Risk for Modern Program Managers

Based on a paper by Tom Monroe, Ph.D., P.E., Marissa Miller, Ph.D., and Mario Beruvides, Ph.D., P.E. Why It’s Time to Rethink the Way We Define Risk Imagine you’re driving to a destination on a foggy road. Instead of looking ahead, you focus on all the hazards around you and navigate with your rearview mirror. […]

Global Reflections: Insights from the Inaugural Wargaming Conference in Poland

On October 14-15, 2025, I was privileged to attend the inaugural conference on “Wargaming as an Analytical and Training Tool in Military and Civilian Environment,” held at the General Tadeusz Kościuszko Military University of Land Forces (AWL) in Wrocław, Poland. In some ways, the genesis of the conference itself, along with my attendance, was the […]

Space Isn’t the Final Frontier—It’s the Front Line

Henry Heren, a senior instructor on the Mission Operations Directorate Enterprise Training (MODET) team at Systems Planning & Analysis, recently authored “Space Isn’t a Sanctuary—It’s a Battlefield. Time to Act Like It.” His article appears in Spacepower Magazine, a publication by the Space Force Association, an independent nonprofit dedicated to advocating for and supporting the U.S. Space Force. […]

From the Ground Up: Ensuring Combat Readiness through Space Modeling, Testing, and Futures Planning

This is part 3 of a 4-part series. Read the previous posts here and subscribe to get the final post when it’s published. Testing space systems on orbit is costly, constrained, and risky. Yet readiness in space cannot be theoretical. In a contested domain where launch cycles are long and failure is costly, the United […]

From Silos to Systems: How Collaboration Can Strengthen America’s Semiconductor Future

America is at a crossroads when it comes to its semiconductor future. Billions of dollars are being invested, alliances are being tested, and the stakes for national security have never been higher. Yet despite the urgency, too many efforts remain disconnected, fragmented, and siloed. “We need to move from silos to systems,” says Christian Cabaniss, […]

Infrastructure Matters: The Hidden Challenges Behind America’s Semiconductor Ambitions

This is part 3 of a 4-part series. Subscribe to get future FOCUS post updates. Policymakers and industry leaders widely agree that the United States must strengthen its domestic semiconductor production. In theory, building more chip fabrication plants, or “fabs,” seems like a straightforward solution to addressing supply chain vulnerabilities exposed by recent global disruptions. […]

Risk vs. Uncertainty: Building Resilience into America’s Semiconductor Future

This is part 2 of a 4-part series. Read the previous posts here and subscribe for future FOCUS posts. In national security circles, the word “risk” is everywhere. Policymakers, military leaders, and analysts routinely discuss the risks associated with force posture, logistics, and emerging technologies. But when it comes to America’s semiconductor strategy, “risk” is […]

Beyond the Chip: Why National Security Depends on the Entire Semiconductor Ecosystem

This is part 1 of a 4-part series. Read the previous posts here and subscribe to get the final post when it’s published. For most Americans, semiconductors remain invisible—embedded in smartphones, appliances, cars, and computers without a second thought. But for those in national security and defense policy, the global semiconductor industry is now front […]

Space Warfare: How the U.S. Can Stay Ahead in the Orbital Arms Race

This is part 2 of a 4-part series. Read the previous posts here and subscribe to get the final post when it’s published. From Congested Orbits to Contested Battlespace The space domain has transformed in scale, scope, and strategic consequence. What once was a benign operational backdrop is now a contested warfighting domain. China and […]