Echoes of the Greatest Generation: My 3 Takeaways from DODIIS 2026
By: Philip Kwong
I’ll admit it: I have always had a romanticized vision of the World War II era. I love the sharp uniforms, the classic hairstyles and fashion, the big band music, and most of all, the incredible idea of an entire nation working toward a single, vital common goal. I used to look back at that era and ask myself, “If I were living during that time, what would I do?”
Coming back from the DODIIS 2026 conference, a powerful realization hit me: in many ways, we are living in those times.
Our nation is facing complex global challenges and the very real prospect of conflict with near-peer adversaries. At the same time, we are standing on the precipice of revolutionary technological breakthroughs like Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, and Unmanned Systems – with a drive to move at quantum speed. The urgency of the 1930-1940s is mirrored in the challenges of today.
Here are my three biggest takeaways from DODIIS 2026 on how we are meeting this generational moment:
1. Tactical Lethality Has Strategic Consequences
The technological changes we are witnessing aren’t just incremental improvements; they are fundamentally altering the modern battlefield. We are actively gearing up for the tactical deployment of AI and Quantum technologies to the edge. These rapid enhancements in tactical lethality have immense strategic impact. The intelligence tools and superior decision-making speeds we enable on the battlefield will directly shape global security and deterrence paradigms in near real-time. Speed is no longer nice to have, speed is everything.
2. Unexpected Innovation Becomes a Catalyst & Force Multiplier
Technologies and systems are no longer developing in isolated silos. Instead, they overlap and create incredibly powerful synergistic effects. We are seeing rapid innovation where systems are being used in ways their original designers never intended. This sparks a compounding cycle: one unexpected application spurs another. It allows disparate technologies to integrate and work together faster, smarter, and better than anyone anticipated. Innovation is not confined to labs and think tanks, innovation is everywhere. And those that innovate faster – they win.
3. People Remain the Ultimate Advantage
Despite the heavy focus on advanced machinery and algorithms, the resounding message across the conference was that human beings remain the key to our success. We are in this together. Whether you are in uniform, a government civilian, in academia, a coalition partner, or part of our robust Industrial Base—we are undeniably better together. To truly succeed, we must actively work to break down the legacy cultural and policy barriers that still hold us back from seamless collaboration.
National Security in the Modern Era
From a defense industrial perspective, I see our collective role as the modern Arsenal of Democracy. Not just in producing ordnance, tanks and planes. We are tasked with integrating and delivering the critical Information Technology and Cybersecurity capabilities our customers rely on to ensure National Security.
Just like the Greatest Generation of World War II, we will rise to meet the critical needs of our nation and our allies.
We remain Unconquered!
About Red River
Red River brings together the ideal combination of talent, partners and products to disrupt the status quo in technology and drive success for business and government in ways previously unattainable. Red River serves organizations well beyond traditional technology integration, bringing more than 30 years of experience and mission-critical expertise in managed services, AI, cybersecurity, modern infrastructure, collaboration and cloud solutions. Learn more at redriver.com.
