Lessons from the Marine Corps | Unlocking AI with Backup Data | Innovative Hiring at CBP

Original Broadcast January 19, 2025

Presented by Cohesity

Driving Progress in Defense Financial Management: Lessons from the Marine Corps

Hon. Mike McCord, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officer at the Department of Defense, discusses the transformative progress in defense financial management and the broader lessons learned from the Marine Corps' audit success. He emphasizes the critical role of leadership, noting how the Marine Corps' commitment, led by Commandant Eric Smith, created a top-down culture of accountability and progress. McCord highlights the importance of building strong partnerships with independent auditors, leveraging their expertise to identify and address challenges collaboratively. The Marine Corps’ smaller size and scale, coupled with support from the Navy and sustained focus on core priorities, enabled this success to serve as a morale booster for the entire department. With over $3.5 trillion in assets, ranging from funding to physical property, McCord displays the Department of Defense's efforts to clean up its financial processes, achieving measurable progress, particularly in the funding domain. 

Key Takeaways

1. The Marine Corps' success was driven by strong leadership, commitment from all levels, and effective collaboration with audit partners.
   
   
2. Outdated financial management systems must be replaced or modernized to meet audit requirements and improve overall efficiency.
   
   
3. While significant improvements have been made, particularly in funding accountability, meeting the 2028 clean audit goal requires intensified efforts, especially in addressing property management and system controls.

From Resilience to Intelligence: Unlocking AI with Backup Data

Kevin Youngquist, Vice President of Sales – Public Sector at Cohesity, discusses how federal agencies can transform their approach to data by using existing backup systems as a springboard for artificial intelligence strategies. Youngquist explains that data backups, traditionally seen as tools for cyber resiliency and disaster recovery, also offer a consolidated and clean foundation for AI and analytics efforts. By embedding AI capabilities directly into backup streams, agencies can extract greater value from their existing infrastructure, making it an efficiency-driven approach to modernization. He shares that many agencies already have vast amounts of data stored in backups, making them well-positioned to harness this resource for advanced analytics and decision-making. Youngquist emphasized the three pillars of cyber resiliency: protecting data in an immutable format to prevent tampering, enabling rapid recovery during incidents, and proactively scanning for threats to mitigate risks. 

Key Takeaways

1. Agencies can leverage their existing backup systems not only for cyber resiliency but also as clean, deduplicated datasets foundational to AI and analytics.
   
   
2. Protecting data immutably, ensuring rapid recovery, and proactively scanning for threats are essential steps to safeguard and optimize agency operations.
   
   
3. Integrating tools and capabilities into a single, unified platform eliminates inefficiencies and enhances both security and operational outcomes.

Innovative Hiring at CBP: Leveraging Technology to Recruit the Nation's Guardians

Andrea Bright, Assistant Commissioner, Human Resources Management, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), is spearheading an innovative overhaul of the agency’s hiring practices to meet the growing demand for skilled Border Patrol agents. Under her leadership, CBP has embraced a data-driven approach, scrutinizing every step of the recruitment process to identify areas for improvement. By integrating modern technology and leveraging virtual platforms, the agency has transformed traditional methods, such as moving in-person interviews online and hosting virtual job fairs. These efforts have not only made the process more efficient but also expanded the agency’s reach to attract applicants who might not have considered CBP before. A key component of this transformation is CBP’s applicant portal, which allows candidates to track their progress throughout the hiring journey, ensuring transparency and engagement. 

Key Takeaways:

1.  CBP has transitioned many in-person processes, such as structured interviews, to online platforms, reducing barriers for applicants and enhancing accessibility.
   
   
2. By dissecting and analyzing every step of the hiring process, CBP identifies areas for optimization, ensuring more candidates complete the process successfully.
   
   
3. Initiatives like the applicant portal and career-long engagement tools ensure transparency, convenience, and support for prospective and current CBP employees.

Click here to access the CPB Career website.

🎧 Take Fed Gov Today with you wherever you go! Listen to the podcast here.