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

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.