The day the military loosened its tie

The Defense Department crowd does tend to be rather tight-lipped but, at AFCEA Army IT Day Jan. 14, some normally reticent officials opened up.

The day afforded a chance to crack jokes (more than a few at the expense of the Air Force), issue challenges (“Can the Army be innovative?” asked Brig. Gen. Steven Smith, chief cyber officer, Office of the Army CIO/G-6) and even challenge some long-held conventions (“We’ve got plenty of sensors!” said Brig. Gen. Thomas Cole, program executive officer for Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors).

Cole quickly – and half-jokingly – added, “This is off the record, right?”

Sorry general, no dice.