ActionThis.Day: The Imperative for Urgent Change in National Security
Forging a future beyond national security stagnation—where reform reshapes power, resilience fuels evolution, and reindustrialization drives destiny.
For too long, the US national security apparatus has been defined by inertia—an institutional tendency to sustain the status quo, overcommit to outdated strategies, and spend trillions on incremental progress while ignoring the transformative potential of new ideas. In an era of rapid technological advancement, shifting geopolitical landscapes, and economic realignment, the old ways of doing business are not just ineffective; they are actively dangerous. ActionThis.Day exists to challenge that inertia.
Winston Churchill, in the depths of World War II, would mark certain directives with the phrase Action This Day—an unambiguous command for immediate execution. Churchill’s approach cut through bureaucracy, eliminated hesitation, and made clear that survival depended on movement. While Churchill’s urgency was forged in the fires of existential war, the philosophy remains relevant in today’s national security environment, albeit in a different way. We are not just fighting adversaries; we are fighting stagnation, inefficiency, and a system that prioritizes preservation over progress.
This publication is about acceleration—reform, resilience, reindustrialization, and transformation. We aim to identify the choke points that hinder progress and build ways to break through them. We are rejecting the comforting illusion of incrementalism and advocating for bold, systemic change. Above all, ActionThis.Day is about refusing to accept that the future of US national security must be dictated by the rigid constraints of the past.
The Need for Urgency
America’s national security complex is built on institutions that were designed for the industrial age, adapted for the Cold War, and then stretched into the 21st century with patchwork reforms. The world has changed, yet our approach to warfighting, deterrence, and defense innovation has remained largely static. We still operate within a paradigm where procurement cycles take decades, where bureaucracy is rewarded, and where new ideas are often met with suspicion rather than curiosity.
Meanwhile, our adversaries are not waiting. China is investing heavily in dual-use technologies, integrating commercial advancements directly into military applications. Russia, despite its economic constraints, continues to experiment with asymmetric capabilities that maximize disruption at minimal cost. Non-state actors are leveraging AI, cyber tools, and decentralized networks faster than traditional intelligence models can keep up. The US, despite its immense technological and financial advantage, remains mired in an approach that equates spending with progress rather than effectiveness.
We must recognize that the nature of security is evolving. The future of deterrence, warfighting, and resilience will not be defined solely by traditional military strength but by the ability to adapt faster than the competition. If national security is to remain viable, it must become agile in every real way rather than just on paper. We will focus on the key themes of Reform, Resilience, and Reindustrialization with an added focus on Transformation through progress no checkboxes.
Reform: Breaking Structural Stagnation
The first step in acceleration is reform—not as a slogan, but as an operating principle. This means challenging the deeply entrenched processes that slow progress and reward mediocrity. It means questioning procurement timelines that make next-generation systems obsolete before they are deployed. Reforms should not only demand accountability for the way trillions of taxpayer dollars are spent, not just in terms of financial audits, but also in terms of the real-world impact of those expenditures.
Reform must extend beyond bureaucratic streamlining. Any reform initiatives must include implementing strategies about how we cultivate talent, how we leverage commercial innovation, and how we integrate emerging technologies without waiting for lengthy vetting cycles. The system must evolve from one of rigid, siloed institutions to one that thrives on adaptability, cross-domain expertise, and continuous iteration.
Resilience: Rethinking National Strength
For decades, resilience in national security has been narrowly defined in terms of physical infrastructure, supply chain durability, and force readiness. These elements remain crucial, but resilience in the modern era requires a broader approach. The US and our Allies must remain at the forefront of foundational technologies—semiconductors, artificial intelligence, bioengineering, space infrastructure, and quantum computing—not just as capabilities but as integral components of our strategic posture. This means acknowledging, across society, that economic strength, industrial capacity, and technological dominance are as critical to security as any weapons system.
Resilience is also cultural. A nation’s ability to withstand shocks—whether economic, technological, or military—depends on its willingness to embrace change rather than resist it. This is where the national security community must shift its mindset. Instead of seeing disruption as a risk, it must see it as an opportunity.
Reindustrialization: The Backbone of Security
Decades of offshoring and deindustrialization have weakened America’s ability to sustain itself in a protracted geopolitical competition. The US national security establishment has largely treated industrial policy as an adjacent issue, rather than a core component of security strategy. That must change.
The US cannot afford to rely on fragile global supply chains for critical defense and technology inputs. The reindustrialization of key sectors—semiconductors, rare earth minerals, advanced manufacturing, and energy independence—must be treated with the same level of urgency as military readiness. Without a robust industrial base, no amount of defense spending will compensate for strategic vulnerability.
Reindustrialization also extends to workforce development. A secure nation is one that can produce, innovate, and adapt from within. Investing in the next generation of scientists, engineers, and defense technologists is as vital as investing in next-generation weapons systems.
Transformation: Thinking Beyond Incrementalism
Perhaps the most difficult but necessary shift in national security thinking is a rejection of incrementalism. The tendency to rely on minor updates, legacy platforms, and evolutionary rather than revolutionary thinking has led to a security posture that is often reactive rather than proactive.
Transformation requires boldness, questioning the assumption that defense innovation must come exclusively from within the traditional defense industrial base. We must embrace commercial space, AI-driven defense applications, and new models of decentralized intelligence gathering. National security is no longer confined to government agencies but is increasingly tied to private sector breakthroughs, from synthetic biology to next-generation energy solutions.
The goal is to not rely on technology alone—incorporate doctrine, strategy, and mindset. We cannot afford to simply modernize existing structures; we must be willing to rethink them entirely. What does deterrence look like in an era of autonomous systems? What role does economic warfare play in shaping geopolitical outcomes? How do we transition from a defense bureaucracy built for static threats to one that thrives in a world defined by constant flux?
These are the questions ActionThis.Day will explore.
A Call to Action
This publication is not for those who are comfortable with business as usual. Our aim is to reach those who believe that national security must move faster, think bigger, and embrace change at the speed of relevance. Join us if you also reject the notion that bureaucracy and sluggishness are inevitable. The future is won by those who act—not tomorrow, not next year, but this day.
The status quo will not protect us. Advancement, adaptation, and decisive action will.
Welcome to ActionThis.Day. The fight against inertia starts now.