AI & Government

To apply AI to government, one must first know how federal agencies are funded and execute their authority. The United States' federal agencies, including the Department of Defense (DoD), are funded through a methodical appropriations process that involves several important phases. The financing process begins with the President's budget proposal, which is presented to Congress and outlines the anticipated expenses for various government agencies. Congress then examines this proposal, establishes general spending limitations using budget resolutions, and allocates specific amounts to different agencies through appropriations bills.

The funding system for federal agencies starts with the President's Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which generates a comprehensive budget request based on data from federal agencies. Following the budget proposal, Congress works to create a budget resolution that determines the overall discretionary expenditure level. Appropriations committees then divide the total budgets among several subcommittees, which subsequently distribute funds to specific agencies and initiatives. For appropriations bills to become law, they must be approved by both chambers of Congress and signed by the President.

In terms of funding, the DoD employs a structured procedure known as the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) system. A critical component of this system is the Program Objective Memorandum (POM) cycle, which significantly influences how funds are requested and allocated within the DoD. Each military service—Army, Navy, and Air Force—submits its POM to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) by July 30. The POM outlines how each service intends to allocate resources over a five-year period in alignment with strategic guidance from the Defense Planning Guidance (DPG) and Service Program Guidance (SPG).

After submission, program review teams assess each POM. These teams consist of members from various military departments and defense agencies, and their findings are presented to the Senior Level Review Group (SLRG), which discusses potential adjustments before recommendations are made to the Secretary of Defense. The outcomes of these reviews culminate in Program Decision Memoranda (PDMs) or Resource Management Decisions (RMDs), which dictate how resources will be allocated for the upcoming fiscal year.

Subordinate departments within the DoD submit their budgets through a systematic approach that includes a Budget Estimate Submission (BES). Alongside their POM, each service files a BES that outlines funding requirements for the first year of the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP). This document details specific financial needs for personnel, operations, maintenance, procurement, and research and development. Before finalizing the budget request sent to Congress, the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) reviews the BES to ensure that proposed budgets align with overall departmental priorities and fiscal constraints.

Overall, federal agencies receive funding through a complex process that combines presidential proposals, congressional appropriations, and specific mechanisms like the DoD's POM cycle for resource allocation. This systematic approach ensures efficient distribution of funds across various programs and initiatives within subordinate agencies.

While there are many reasons why the DoD has such a large budget, the main factor is because they can. There is currently a culture of overspending. Some of the most costly contracts are IDIQ Contracts (Indefinite Duration Indefinite Quantity) where there are open-ended funding streams to qualified contractors. While some of these contracts are deploying legacy weapon systems to foreign countries, there are many more that may need to be optimized for the greater benefit of the taxpayer. While there is a need to reassess our posture in the world, it is my belief that the most beneficial way forward for the United States is to allow NATO countries and our other democratic friends is to provide a transition plan for their own regional security. It is clear to me, if the European countries have enough money to send to the United States to affect our immigration and politics, then they have enough money to provide their own military and security.

When George/Alex Soros purchase over 250 radio stations a few months before a presidential election, Europe is not taxing those individuals enough (Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/george-soros-fund-buys-400-165211641.html)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to become the most significant technological revolution in history. AI is limitless in its potential to solve humanities problems while at the same time being limitless in causing problems. We need to have competent, ethical, and moral people leading the effort to implement AI into our society to ensure we can provide the society we hope we can make available to our children.

Similar to the Industrial Revolution, AI can change our society and bring more abundance than we have ever known with any previous technology advancement. It is imperative that we allow the United States to be an incubator of innovation as it relates to AI.

The Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CAIO) is an organization within the Pentagon that is currently spearheading the DoD AI effort. While they do list "Beating Bureaucracy" as a pilar of their mission, they do not detail specifics in how they will accomplish it. In this article I propose the following initial ways to integrate AI into the federal government.

1. Implement AI into government by:

a. Standardizing quality data in common administrative roles like Security, Intelligence, Contracting, Procurement, Engineering, logistics, Operations/Maintenance, and Finance.

b. Digitizing records and requests processes.

2. Training civilians in AI management (using LLMs, deploying LLMs on unique networks, and training people in using/applying unique AI models). If the DOGE anticipates optimization or a Reduction in Force (RIF)/ Schedule 15 of the DoD, I propose to ensure the DoD is well on its way to implementing AI into administrative and operational functions.

There are MANY bureaucracies in the federal government that can be optimized. I will speak of a few ways to reduce and eliminate the systemic problem of functional disfunction. The first way to overcome these inefficient processes is to change the current culture in the DoD - optimization, AI implementation, and efficiencies must be a part of a requirement-based objectives within each branch of service. There must be a fiscal transition plan for each year that implements or substantially reduces bureaucratic processes.

Changing the culture will require a systematic approach to cost-cutting while maintaining operational readiness. In order to achieve this, it is recommended to first implement AI management training to employees to the right people within the civilian workforce. Implementing AI management training in concert with an agency wide change standardizing records will provide the means to de-compartmentalize these organizations, provide transparency to the right people, and substantially reduce cost when AI is implemented on a larger scale.