In this special episode of All Quiet on the Second Front, we’re bringing you a live recording from Offset 2025. Moderated by Danielle Metz, 2F Chief Policy Officer, this panel tackles a question that’s easy to say but hard to operationalize: how do we actually build trust between government and industry to deliver secure, mission-ready technology? 

Danielle is joined by Rob Nolen, Chief Technologist for DoD at AWS, Dan Garcia, Chief Information Security Officer at EnterpriseDB, and Eric Sanders, Chief Information Security Officer at DHS (I&A) and, together, they unpack the cultural and structural baggage that slows innovation—and explore what it’ll take to shift hearts, minds, and bureaucracies toward impact.

What’s Happening on the Second Front: 

• Building security into systems from the start (not bolting it on later)
• Measuring impact through velocity, not vanity metrics
• Risk tolerance vs. risk avoidance in government tech
• The role of policy and regulation in accelerating trust
• Why a shared language between builders, buyers, and approvers is mission-critical

In this special keynote episode recorded live at Offset Symposium, Senator Markwayne Mullin joins 2F CEO Tyler Sweatt to talk national security, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and the urgent need for change across government and defense.

Senator Mullin lays out a clear-eyed view of the current state: the technology is moving faster than the government—and without bold action, we risk falling even further behind. From budgeting flexibility to breaking down silos across the DoD, this conversation covers where the gaps are, how private sector partnerships can help, and what it’ll take to drive real reform.

What’s Happening on the Second Front:

• Why relationships—not just policy—drive change
• How the DoD can embrace a “get to yes” culture
• Making room in the budget for faster, more flexible solutions
• Why the next 18 months are critical for national security transformation

If we’re serious about change, we can’t wait for permission. Tune in for a candid, high-impact conversation from the Offset main stage.

This week on All Quiet on the Second Front, Tyler sits down with Bret Boyd, co-founder and CEO of Sustainment, to talk shop on reshoring U.S. manufacturing, rethinking the defense industrial base, and why clipboards and PDFs are still running the depots. Bret’s got the receipts—combat deployments with the 75th Ranger Regiment, 15+ years in tech, and now building one of the largest networks of non-traditional U.S. manufacturers. 

What’s happening on the Second Front: 

• How small manufacturers hold the key to reindustrialization
• The real bottlenecks behind readiness: not weapons, but parts
• Why defense acquisition needs fewer PDFs and more CRMs
• The case for a U.S. “manufacturing ready reserve”

Connect with Bret 

• Linkedin: Bret Boyd

Connect with Tyler

• LinkedIn: Tyler Sweatt

In this episode of All Quiet on the Second Front, Tyler sits down with Cameron McCord, CEO and co-founder of Nominal, to talk about why testing & evaluation is finally getting its moment in the spotlight—and why that matters more than you think. From time at Anduril and Lux Capital to launching Nominal, Cam shares a candid look at the bottlenecks slowing down national security and how the right software (and the right team) can tip the balance.

What's happening on the Second Front

• Why test data is the next frontier for advantage in defense
• How government incentives and contracting structures need to evolve
• What it really takes to build a mission-driven team in this space
• The difference between missionaries and mercenaries

Connect with Cameron

• LinkedIn: Cameron McCord

Connect with Tyler

• LinkedIn: Tyler Sweatt

On this episode of All Quiet on the Second Front, TJ Rowe (2F CRO) sits down with Samuel (Sammy) Semwangu, CEO of Bazze—a company redefining how commercial data is delivered into the national security enterprise. Sammy shares his journey from special operations to Silicon Valley, the tough lessons learned building in defense tech, and how Bazze evolved into the commercial data infrastructure behind some of today’s most forward-leaning intel operations.

What’s Happening on the Second Front

• The shift from nation-state dominance to commercially driven intelligence
• How Bazze built a federated API to unlock insights from 20+ data vendors in seconds
• Why aligning with primes and integrators is key to scale—and survival
• The incentive problem inside the building—and why smart software alone doesn’t solve it
• Partner-led GTM, SBIR heartbreak, and why timing > everything

Connect with Sammy

• LinkedIn: Samuel Semwangu

Connect with TJ

• LinkedIn: TJ Rowe

Dive into an exciting surprise episode of All Quiet on the Second Front with host Tyler Sweatt, joined by Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan and Stephen Rodriguez from the Atlantic Council's Software-Defined Warfare Commission. This episode cuts through the complexities of defense technology to focus squarely on the transformative role of software in modern warfare. Tyler, Jack, and Stephen discuss Department of Defense initiatives, underscore the urgency of innovative strategies, and share personal anecdotes that illuminate the path toward a software-driven defense landscape, shedding light on pivotal developments that are reshaping military engagement across the globe. Tune in to understand the stakes and opportunities in software-defined warfare.

What’s Happening on the Second Front

• Insights into Project Maven and the JAIC’s impact on military strategies.
• Lessons from Jack Shanahan’s Air Force career and Stephen Rodriguez’s tech ventures.
• How the DoD is adapting to software-centric warfare for technological superiority.
• The need for rapid, actionable strategies to ensure future readiness.

Connect with Jack

• LinkedIn: Jack Shanahan

Connect with Stephen

• LinkedIn: Stephen Rodriguez

Connect with Tyler

• LinkedIn: Tyler Sweatt

Episode 88. On this episode of All Quiet, host Tyler Sweat chats with cybersecurity expert Greg Touhill, director of the CERT Division at Carnegie Mellon's Software Engineering Institute. With a rich background as the U.S. government's first Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and a seasoned executive in the U.S. Air Force and Department of Homeland Security, Greg discusses the trajectory of cybersecurity from its foundational days to its current critical role in national security and private sector strategy. Explore how AI and cybersecurity intersect and the essential steps today's leaders must take to safeguard our digital future.

What’s Happening on the Second Front:

• Greg's journey from the U.S. Air Force to leading national cybersecurity initiatives.
• The impact of AI on cybersecurity—what does the future hold?
• Cybersecurity in the corporate world: How is it shaping business strategies at the highest levels?
• Emerging challenges: What are the next big threats, and how are we preparing to tackle them?

Connect with Greg

• LinkedIn: Gregory Touhill

Connect with Tyler

• LinkedIn: Tyler Sweatt

SEI resources discussed:

• SEI website: https://www.sei.cmu.edu/
• AI/AI Security: Artificial Intelligence Security Incident Response Team (AISIRT)
• Risk and Resilience: Enterprise Risk and Resilience Management
• SEI GitHub: Software Engineering Institute · GitHub

In this episode of All Quiet on the Second Front, host Tyler Sweatt chats with Troy Demmer of Gecko Robotics about transforming infrastructure with robotics, AI, and smarter data. They explore Gecko’s origins, its impact on defense and energy, and how better maintenance can drive national security and economic growth. From crawling robots to AI-powered insights, Troy shares how Gecko is tackling critical infrastructure challenges—and why the biggest threat isn’t new technology, but inertia.

What's Happening on the Second Front

• Robots + AI = Smarter Infrastructure – How Gecko is transforming maintenance and inspection.
• Data Overload? – Why most organizations collect too much but use too little.
• Tech vs. Tradition – The real battle is overcoming industry inertia, not innovation.
• AI’s Hidden Flaw – Great power, terrible results—unless the data is right.
• The Future is Now – Edge computing, real-time insights, and maximizing what we already have.

Connect with Troy

• LinkedIn: Troy Demmer

Connect with Tyler

• LinkedIn: Tyler Sweatt

On this episode of All Quiet on the Second Front, host Tyler Sweatt sits down with Hon. Martha McSally—former A-10 fighter pilot, U.S. Senator, and now 2F Independent Board Director—to talk about resilience, reinvention, and leading with purpose.

Martha shares her journey from being one of the first women to fly a fighter jet in combat to navigating the world of politics and now advising leaders and companies. She discusses how to thrive through major career transitions, why identity isn’t tied to job titles, and how leaders can build trust, stay adaptable, and create high-performing teams.

What’s Happening on the Second Front

• Martha’s path from fighter pilot to senator to board director.
• Why trust, clear communication, and self-awareness are critical for leadership.
• How to navigate career transitions and detach from external identity.
• Practical leadership tools, from curiosity to balancing work intensity.
• Why now is the best time to lean in, innovate, and lead.

Connect with Martha

• LinkedIn: Martha McSally

Connect with Tyler

• LinkedIn: Tyler Sweatt

On this episode of All Quiet on the Second Front, host Tyler Sweatt sits down with Scott Sanders, Chief Growth Officer of Forterra, to talk about building elite teams, mission-driven leadership, and the realities of hiring in defense tech. Scott shares his journey from Marine Raider to early Anduril employee to leading a company that’s shaping the future of autonomous ground systems.

What’s Happening on the Second Front

• Why so many veterans return to defense tech (even after swearing they wouldn’t)
• The “deployment test” for hiring and how to spot high-impact operators
• Balancing speed and quality in recruiting without breaking the culture
• The importance of taking time away from work to stay sharp
• Why military leaders struggle to let go—and how to fix it

Connect with Scott

• LinkedIn: Scott Sanders

Connect with Tyler

• LinkedIn: Tyler Sweatt