Washington, D.C. – A federal advisory committee has recommended President-Elect Donald Trump’s Department of Defense emulate a Special Operations Command (SOCOM) rapid acquisition initiative.

In the past few years, the military services have launched initiatives for conventional forces to learn rapid acquisition techniques from SOCOM. The Ghost program, named after Gen. George Patton’s Ghost platoon in World War II, gives junior officers in the Air Force the opportunity to work alongside SOCOM acquisition personnel. For 120 days in the executive office for fixed wing aircraft, junior officers work on programs such as manned and unmanned aircraft, precision strike and emerging technologies.

The Defense Business Board recommended in its report “Focusing a Transition, Challenges Facing the New Administration” that the Defense Department build off SOCOM’s example to create an innovative culture.

“In an agile and rapidly changing world, the most innovative organizations rely on their workforce to identify opportunities and solve problems, thus accelerating innovation,” the report said. “These forums serve as a mechanism to engage the workforce in innovation by soliciting ideas and engaging in problem solving, irrespective of rank and service.”

Other recommendations of the Defense Business Board to foster innovation included creating a larger virtual consultancy challenge early in the new administration to tackle a key initiative of the Secretary of Defense.

Featured image courtesy of Defense Media Network.