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Might the recurring data breaches plaguing one large retailer after another be a dress rehearsal for a catastrophic attack that could cripple, if not destroy, the United States and its critical infrastructure? The doomsday rhetoric presented by cybersecurity experts at an issue forum Thursday hosted by the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, while not so calamitous, served as a wake-up call to the enduring cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

AFCEA International awarded a total of $2,250 to three teams competing in the PlugFest contest, providing innovative solutions to interoperability problems. PlugFest is a demonstration of information technology interoperability using pre-integrated standards based components, from a variety of providers, which run in open standards based run-time environments across a particular enterprise.

West 2013 Online Show Daily, Day 1

Quote of the Day:“’Flat’ is the new ‘up’ in this defense budget environment.”— Robert O. Work, undersecretary of the Navy

The military services are facing potentially crippling constraints if sequestration takes place in March. Defense officials foresee the likelihood of draconian budget cuts being imposed that will cripple the force just as it is being counted on to assume new strategic missions. In most cases, the services will have to choose to sacrifice some capabilities so that others will remain part of the force. In worse-case scenarios, the U.S. military may be unable to meet its obligations when a crisis emerges.

These and other points were hammered home by speakers and panels on the first day of West 2013, the annual conference and exposition hosted by AFCEA and the U.S. Naval Institute in San Diego. While the event has the theme of “Pivot to the Pacific: What Are the Global Implications,” the first day’s discussions largely focused on the dire consequences of the fiscal cliff as well as potential solutions to avoid completely gutting the military force. Audiences generally were aware of the looming budget crisis, but many were surprised by the bluntness of the assessments offered by high-ranking Defense Department civilian and military leaders.

Having focused a great deal on innovation throughout my career—particularly as the leader of “Deep Blue,” the Navy’s innovation think tank immediately after the September 11, 2001, attacks, and as commander of U.S. Southern Command—I would offer some important advice to the innovators as they get started.