Who is Will Roberts? (I don't follow LinkedIn.)

8 hours ago, Vern Edwards said:

Who is Will Roberts? (I don't follow LinkedIn.)

Per Linkedin Bio - (copy and paste)

Experience

• 

  Fellow/Director of Emerging Technologies Fellow/Director of Emerging Technologies

  ASI GovernmentASI GovernmentSep 2022 - Present · 2 yrs 11 mosSep 2022 to Present · 2 yrs 11 mos

• 

  Acquisitions Leadership Acquisitions Leadership

  DoD Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence OfficeDoD Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence OfficeMay 2022 - Sep 2022 · 5 mosMay 2022 to Sep 2022 · 5 mos

• 

  Chief, Acquisitions Chief, Acquisitions

  DoD Joint Artificial Intelligence CenterDoD Joint Artificial Intelligence CenterMay 2018 - May 2022 · 4 yrs 1 mo

Thank you.

@Self Employed I think you came here with a point of view that you're stuck on and you're not reading what I wrote.

On 7/20/2025 at 7:46 PM, Self Employed said:

The pay system is a problem.

The "promote your best technical leaders to supervisory roles," method is a problem.

I wrote that I agreed with both those sentiments, but those are separate issues worthy of a separate more fulsome discussion.

You also contradict yourself when you state:

On 7/20/2025 at 7:46 PM, Self Employed said:

As in many fields -- the people who are willing to put in the work, the research, the time and effort -- will do so, development program or not.

So why do we need a different pay, development, incentive system if the people who are going to develop are going to do so anyhow, development program or not? (I don't agree with your sentiment btw - some people need to be shown the way and once inspired will thrive)

I think there is a fundamental misunderstanding in the contracting and acquisition community of the power of expectations. That's why I think the 80 CLP standard and the Powerpoint deep CBT nonsense we're constantly exposed to and multiple guess exams to demonstrate proficiency is a serious problem. It sets an expectation that merely going through the motions is enough and in a world full of competing priorities many people are simply going to do what is expected of them. That is why we need to raise the standards - many will work to achieve them, some won't be able to, but we'll recruit and retain those who can.

And yes, with raised standards I think raised compensation is appropriate/necessary too.