With over two decades of experience in the U.S. Navy, the author has observed the immense potential and persistent inertia within public service, particularly in government operations. The piece argues that the government’s outdated processes, which rely heavily on legacy vendors like Microsoft, are failing to keep pace with the rapid innovations of the commercial sector. This resistance to change, the author warns, is allowing adversaries to close the technological gap, particularly in critical areas like national security and AI development.