31 - 29
January 2013 - November 1913
Past Event
Bleeding Talent: How the US Military Mismanages Great Leaders and Why It's Time for a Revolution

Bleeding Talent: How the US Military Mismanages Great Leaders and Why It's Time for a Revolution

Past Event
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters
January 31 - November 29, 1913
Share:
Default Event Image
31 - 29
January 2013 - November 1913
Past Event

1015 15th Street, N.W., 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Read Transcript
Speakers:
General Jack Keane

(U.S. Army, retired) Former Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and Chairman of the Board for the Institute for the Study of War

Lt. General David Barno

(U.S. Army, retired) Former head of Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan, and Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security

Colonel Martha McSally

(USAF retired) First American woman to fly in combat, first woman to command a USAF fighter squadron, and a former U.S. congressional candidate

christopher_demuth
Christopher DeMuth

Former Distinguished Fellow

Tim Kane

Economist and Research Fellow, Hoover Institution

Great leadership is a hallmark of the U.S. military, but today the Pentagon is bleeding talent--externally as top officers quit the ranks in frustration, and internally as those who serve are stuck in a risk-averse bureaucracy that inefficiently matches people with jobs. An exclusive survey of West Point graduates reveals an Army that rewards conformity but ignores merit, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

In Bleeding Talent, Hudson Institute Chief Economist and former USAF intelligence officer, Dr. Tim Kane, offers a blueprint for how the Pentagon can reinvent itself in a time of budget cuts. Just as the military moved from the draft toward an all-volunteer force in the 1970s, Kane argues it should continue evolving toward more autonomy for its workforce. In developing his plan for a Total Volunteer Force, Kane explores the philosophical issues of duty and liberty and draws on the management lessons from some of America's greatest companies.

Author Tim Kane joined with Hudson Distinguished Fellow Christopher DeMuth and a panel of former senior military officers for an eye-opening discussion of the book.

Related Events
See More
11
November 2026
Virtual Event | Hudson Institute
A US Navy Fleet for Twenty-First-Century Deterrence and Combat
Featured Speaker:
Bryan Clark
Skipper
11
November 2026
Virtual Event | Hudson Institute
A US Navy Fleet for Twenty-First-Century Deterrence and Combat

Join Senior Fellow Bryan Clark for a presentation of his new report, Righting the Ship: Building a Relevant US Navy Fleet for Twenty-First-Century Deterrence and Combat. He will discuss the challenges facing the US Navy and how a new fleet design could help it address its missions within likely future budget and personnel constraints. The webinar will also include time for questions and answers.

Skipper
Featured Speaker:
Bryan Clark
Learn More
12
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
From Dependence to Resilience: Financing a Secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
Featured Speakers:
Caroline Vik
Maryll Toufanian
Nick Snyder
Pharma
12
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
From Dependence to Resilience: Financing a Secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain

Join DFC Chief Policy Officer Caroline Vik and Amneal Pharmaceuticals Senior Vice President Maryll Toufanian for a conversation moderated by Senior Fellow Nick Snyder. The discussion will examine America’s strategy to secure pharmaceutical supply chains and the work ahead for policymakers and industry as they pursue sustainable solutions in a complex market and policy environment. 

Pharma
Featured Speakers:
Caroline Vik
Maryll Toufanian
Nick Snyder
Learn More
13
November 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The Future of US-Japan Cooperation in a Competitive World: Economic Security and Strategy
Featured Speakers:
Nick Snyder
Hiroyuki Nakashima
Takaichi
13
November 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
The Future of US-Japan Cooperation in a Competitive World: Economic Security and Strategy

Join Japan Bank for International Cooperation Senior Managing Director Hiroyuki Nakashima and Senior Fellow Nick Snyder for a conversation on the state of the US-Japan relationship, the links between economic cooperation and national security, and the opportunities and challenges ahead for the alliance.

Takaichi
Featured Speakers:
Nick Snyder
Hiroyuki Nakashima
Learn More
13
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Putting Veterans First: A Conversation with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins
Featured Speakers:
Doug Collins
Jeremy Hunt
Collins
13
November 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Putting Veterans First: A Conversation with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins

Two days after Veterans Day, United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Douglas Collins will deliver a keynote address on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ work and his plans under President Donald Trump. He will also join Hudson Institute fellow Jeremy Hunt for a fireside chat.

Collins
Featured Speakers:
Doug Collins
Jeremy Hunt
Learn More
See More
Related Research
See More
British Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey leaves 11 Downing Street carrying the traditional red budget box ahead of presenting the Labour government's 2026 Autumn Budget to the House of Commons in London, United Kingdom, on October 28, 2026. (Getty Images)
British Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey leaves 11 Downing Street carrying the traditional red budget box ahead of presenting the Labour government's 2026 Autumn Budget to the House of Commons in London, United Kingdom, on October 28, 2026. (Getty Images)

Burnham’s First Budget Comes at a Difficult Time for UK
coffey
coffey
Luke Coffey
Senior Fellow, Center on Europe and Eurasia
Luke Coffey
Commentary
Commentary
5 Min Read
See More