All Quiet on the Second Front

Episode 22, Season 2. This week on All Quiet, Meagan Metzger, Founder and CEO of Dcode joins Tyler and shares her journey going from a tech-savvy taxpayer to a groundbreaking entrepreneur. Throughout the episode, Meagan gives a first-hand look at the realities of tech procurement in the government and where policy reform and leadership can create a well-oiled bureaucracy. Meagan’s vision for Dcode...

That’s a wrap for Season One of All Quiet on the Second Front. In this retrospective episode, Tyler takes you on a whirlwind tour of unforgettable encounters, recapping the conversations that flipped typical defense tech talk on its head, and resurfacing epic soundbites and key highlights from Season One episodes and guests. Tyler also gives a sneak peek into what's in store for the upcoming s...

In this episode of "All Quiet on the Second Front," Tyler is joined by cyber security expert and co-founder of Shift5, Mike Weigand. With extensive experience in establishing and commanding cyber organizations, Mike shares his journey from being one of the U.S. Army's first cyber operations officers to co-founding Shift5. Together, Mike and Tyler delve into the data-specific superpower...

Today, Tyler is joined by goTenna's VP of Strategic Programs and Partnerships, Mike Bergen. goTenna is the world's leading mobile mesh networking company and provider of off-grid connectivity, so Mike knows a thing or two about what it takes to sustain success. In this episode, Mike and Tyler share what they have determined to be the ‘cheat codes’ for securing government contracts. If you’...

Today on All Quiet, Tyler is joined by cyber nerd and UFO fanatic, Ron Gula. Ron is the President of Gula Tech Adventures, a cybersecurity company focused on cyber tech, cyber policy and recruiting people into the cyber workforce. In this episode, Ron guides us through a variety of thought-provoking topics to help us gain a better understanding of what cybersecurity is, how it’s used and why Ron’s...

In this electrifying episode of All Quiet, Tyler has a conversation with Jen Sovada, the President of Public Sector for SandboxAQ, a tech and data intelligence company that uses AI and quantum to solve global challenges. Given that quantum has everyone buzzing with both excitement and confusion, Jen tells us why she and her team have become so committed to educating consumers before they buy. She...

Today on All Quiet, Tyler chats with Paul Vingoe, the Director of VinDo Technology Ltd, a management consulting firm created to deliver business development, customer success, and regional expertise for US companies entering the UK and European markets at reduced risk. In this conversation, we learn how Paul leverages his unique skill set, including his time as a Colonel in the British Army, to he...

Today on the show, Tyler is joined by the former Chief Innovation Officer of USAID and soon-to-be member of the DoD, Alexis Bonnell. Throughout her admirable career, Alexis has become accustomed to forewarning others about the latest technology destined to change the landscape for good. First, it was the internet, now it’s AI. In this episode, we learn why Alexis is both excited—and terrified—for...

Today on All Quiet, Tyler is joined by Dave Ferris, the Director of Global Public Sector Capture at Interos Inc. Interos uses AI to help companies reinvent their supply chain management. By supplying data to help Interos’ AI tech helps reduce risk, avoid disruptions, and achieve superior enterprise adaptability. In this episode, Dave gives us supply chain 101 on how AI now has the power to give co...

Today’s guest, Chip Colbert, is the Vice President for DOD and IC at Virtualitics, an advanced analytics company that helps enterprises and governments make smarter business decisions faster with ready-to-use AI that can be understood by analysts and business leaders alike. In this episode, you’ll hear Tyler and Chip bond over their fondness for the chaotic, often unstructured, nature of defense t...

Today’s guest comes from the Second Front Systems team, the VP of sales, TJ Rowe. After completing his Engineering degree at West Point, TJ spent 7 years as an Infantry Officer with the Army, then carried his success over to the land of commercial real estate. It wasn’t too long before TJ returned to the world of defense, taking a position as the Director of Growth at Second Front. Now the VP of S...

With the continued advancement of machine learning models, it’s only a matter of time before we see the true value of unstructured data. In this episode, Tyler nerds out with Brian Raymond, the founder and CEO of Unstructured. IO , a software development company that’s helping businesses prepare for machine learning to start unlocking the power of their data. Brian took a non-linear career path, l...

In today’s episode, Tyler sits with Ben Van Roo, the CEO and co-founder of Yurts Technologies Inc. , an AI software development company based in the Bay Area. Ben and Tyler talk about the current AI landscape, how it may—or may not—be regulated, and ponder what the world may look like in 20 years. They also dive into general business strategy and what they believe this next gen of defense tech nee...

Today on the show, Tyler sits with Bonnie Evangelista, Tradewind Execution Lead at the DoD Chief Digital and AI Office . Bonnie’s procurement background gives us some unique insight into the federal contracting and acquisition process, from start to finish. In this episode, she passionately opens up about how the government has begun transforming conventional procurement models and mindsets in an...

Today, Tyler chats with Lauren Hansen-Armendariz, a national security innovator and design thinking facilitator. Lauren recently concluded her service with the Army after nine years of active duty in the Army. Her last post was as the Innovation Officer within XVIII Airborne Corps, giving her a distinct perspective on the way the Defense department approaches innovation and technology use. In this...

In this episode, Tyler chats with Paul Puckett,the Chief Technology Officer at Clarity, a small business software development company focused on redefining the way the government employs technology to help make our country, and world, a better place. Paul and Tyler nerd out over their passion for solving problems in tech and business alike, discussing the changes in philosophy and deployment that...

Today on All Quiet, Tyler sits with the Chief Technology Officer of Second Front Systems, a man he describes as the ‘Software Jesus of the Air Force,’ Enrique Oti. Enrique opens up about some of his blindspots throughout his career, why it’s important to note the distinction between innovation and creativity, as well as his excitement to continue to witness the rapid tactical changes caused by dro...

In today’s episode, Tyler takes a step away from defense tech and welcomes in Harrison Smith and Molly Cain from the IRS. The three talk about the opportunities for commercial technology in federal agencies as well as some of the interesting transformation that this team is driving over at the IRS. Harrison and Molly open up about what it’s like to work together, how they aim to increase partnersh...

Today on the show, Tyler chats about the path to working in defense tech with two of Silicon Valley Defense Group’s early-career employees, Dylan Mullins & Sarah Hess. The two shed light on some of the reasons behind the ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining young tech talent within the sphere of national security. They share their own stories, including the hiring process, as well as...

Today Tyler talks with Mike Moreno, a former CIA Operations Officer who now works at the boundaries of technology and global stability within the public sector, VC community, startups and in his role with the business development team at Amazon Web Services (AWS). In this episode, Mike talks about how AWS aims to address limitations in the government’s willingness to accelerate the transition and...

Today on All Quiet, Tyler cracks a beer with James Cross, the managing director of Franklin Templeton and one of the co-founders of the Silicon Valley Defense Group (SVDG). They advocate for startups by explaining how current policy and the interest of the primes favors small businesses, as well as discussing James’ approach to venture capital and the importance of visible leadership by organizati...

Today on the show, Tyler is joined by the executive director at Silicon Valley Defense Group, venture partner at Franklin Venture Partners and former defense innovation extraordinaire, Sam Gray. Sam has a diverse background as a U.S. Navy pilot, then working in the Pentagon with some of the most pressing innovation challenges and some of the most prominent leaders, and now navigates both the priva...

If Between Two Ferns and C-SPAN had a child, it would be All Quiet on the Second Front.  Blending the very best (and the worst) of government gravitas with technical expertise, Second Front Systems’ Chief Revenue Officer, Tyler Sweatt, cuts through the noise and the bureaucratic BS surrounding all things defense tech, national security, and government markets.  Be warned: this is not your typical...