The Pentagon’s newly launched Golden Dome program is kicking into high gear, and Gen. Michael Guetlein—formerly the Space Force’s second-in-command—is now at the helm. In his first public remarks since taking over, Guetlein laid out an ambitious agenda: build a high-speed, high-caliber team, establish a national tech consortium, and define the future of U.S. homeland missile defense. With marching orders to deliver a comprehensive missile shield by 2028 and a \$175 billion price tag looming overhead, speed and precision are clearly top priorities.

Guetlein isn’t just staffing up—he’s reinventing how defense programs move. Thanks to special authorities that let him bypass traditional hiring and acquisition red tape, he’s assembling a hand-picked crew drawn from across industry and academia. He’s also rallying a broader coalition of partners, including labs, companies, and universities, to bring ideas and innovation to the table. The near-term focus: integrating sensors, weapons, and communications into a unified command-and-control system and kicking off tech demos every six months. But with space-based interceptors still a technical and industrial hurdle, the pressure is on to move fast and prove the concept can scale.


Layoffs: Microsoft

Microsoft’s latest round of layoffs—part of a broader trend that has seen over 15,000 positions cut in 2025 alone—marks a sobering moment for one of tech’s most admired companies. The most recent wave affected around 9,000 employees, and while CEO Satya Nadella acknowledged that these decisions weigh heavily on him, he also emphasized that overall headcount remains “basically flat.” That’s a subtle nod to the company’s efforts to stay nimble in a highly competitive and evolving tech landscape.

Despite the internal turbulence, Microsoft continues to operate from a position of remarkable strength. The company’s stock recently soared past \$500 a share, an all-time high that reflects investor confidence in its long-term strategy. Microsoft has proven time and again that it can lead through innovation, from its massive bets on AI to its steadfast presence in enterprise services. While the job cuts are difficult and understandably draw criticism, the company remains a global powerhouse that’s navigating a rapidly changing industry with both ambition and care.


Hiring: 22nd Century Technologies

It’s hiring season in Northern Virginia, and the national security tech space is heating up fast. TSCTI just announced a surge in hiring after securing a major federal contract, and they’re urgently recruiting for cleared professionals ready to hit the ground running. From DevOps engineers and .NET developers to Scrum Masters and QA pros, this is a call to action for anyone with an active Top Secret clearance looking to join a mission-driven, fast-scaling team. If cloud automation, enterprise app development, or Agile leadership is in your wheelhouse, this is the kind of opportunity that doesn’t stay open long.

This hiring wave lines up with a broader trend across the Commonwealth. Governor Glenn Youngkin recently highlighted that 22nd Century Technologies is bringing 880 new tech jobs to Fairfax County through a major HQ expansion. It’s another signal that Northern Virginia continues to lead as a hub for cleared tech talent and federal innovation. With new contracts, expanded infrastructure, and a growing demand for technical roles with security clearances, the region is cementing its position as one of the most dynamic places to grow a national security career.


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Opportunity to Watch

The Department of Defense has hit pause on a major artificial intelligence contracting initiative, shelving its draft solicitation for the Advancing Artificial Intelligence Multiple Award Contract (AAMAC). This indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract was poised to be a massive 10-year, \$15 billion effort aimed at accelerating AI development and sharpening decision-making across the DOD. But according to a notice posted to SAM.gov, the program is “currently on hold,” and no additional details have been shared about its future direction.

AAMAC was closely tied to Advana, the DOD’s flagship data analytics and AI platform overseen by the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO). Advana pulls data from more than 400 systems across the department and supports decision-making in areas like finance, logistics, and readiness. The initiative had generated industry buzz, especially among small and nontraditional businesses, after CDAO indicated last fall that it hoped to broaden contractor participation. The cancellation of the draft RFP raises questions about whether the Pentagon is reevaluating its contracting strategy or delaying major tech procurements amid shifting priorities.

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Jillian Hamilton has worked in a variety of Program Management roles for multiple Federal Government contractors. She has helped manage projects in training and IT. She received her Bachelors degree in Business with an emphasis in Marketing from Penn State University and her MBA from the University of Phoenix.