The Department of Defense has announced two new tech hires, including a former DoD team member named Gavin Kliger as chief data officer for the Pentagon. Kliger will focus on integrating private sector innovation with operational expertise to deliver advanced AI capabilities to warfighters. Meanwhile, James ‘Aaron’ Bishop was named deputy chief information officer for cybersecurity and chief information security officer. The hires come amid a global competition for military AI dominance and raise questions about the Department’s ability to manage internal conflicts.