Episode 59 - COL Jeremy Gwinn: Defense Technology, Economics of Warfare, and Reverse Innovation
In this episode of Tipping Spears with Hannah Becker, I sit down with COL Jeremy Gwinn, an Army infantry officer, strategist, and scholar operating at the intersection of warfighting, economics, and technology. From leading soldiers in combat to shaping strategy at the Pentagon and now educating future senior leaders at the Eisenhower School, Gwinn brings a rare, full-spectrum perspective on how wars are fought, resourced, and won in today’s highly contested, increasingly complex environment.
The conversation explores the evolving economics of warfare and what it takes to align national resources, industrial capacity, and military power in an era defined by strategic competition. Gwinn breaks down the role of the U.S. defense industrial base, provides historical context to the economics of warfighting, and shares how emerging technologies are reshaping both the character of war and the decision-making processes behind it. He also offers insights into how the private sector and defense innovation ecosystem must adapt to meet the realities of modern conflict.
Throughout the episode, Gwinn reflects on key inflection points in his career across tactical, operational, and strategic levels, and the concept of reverse innovation - lessons learned from GE Healthcare, Mahindra Tractor, and the LUCAS drone. This discussion provides an insightful look at the future of warfare, essential capabilities, and what leaders must understand to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
Guest Bio
Today’s guest brings together the rare combination of frontline combat experience, Pentagon-level strategic leadership, and academic expertise in national security, defense, and technology. Jeremy Gwinn is an Army infantry officer and faculty member at the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. There, he helps educate the next generation of senior military and civilian leaders on the economics of national security and defense industrial base issues.
Before joining the faculty, Jeremy served as Chief of Staff for Strategic Operations at Headquarters, Department of the Army G-3/5/7, where he was the principal military advisor to the Director of Strategic Operations on issues spanning cyber, space, electromagnetic warfare, and data — some of the most consequential areas shaping modern conflict.
Over the course of his career, he has led a variety of infantry formations from platoon through battalion level, advised foreign security forces, deployed multiple times to Afghanistan and Iraq, and completed two tours on the Army Staff in the Pentagon. In other words, he has operated at every level of war — tactical, operational, and strategic.
Colonel Gwinn is also an Advanced Strategic Planning and Policy Fellow and earned his Ph.D. in international relations from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. His doctoral research examined U.S. national security policy and unconventional warfare operations after 9/11. He has taught at The Fletcher School at Tufts, Harvard, and West Point, and currently serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at Johns Hopkins University where he recently developed a new course called Technology in War. In addition to his academic work, Jeremy has worked with startups in the defense technology space, advising them on defense requirements and how best to navigate the defense acquisitions landscape.
His writing has appeared in Parameters, Military Review, Small Wars Journal, and War on the Rocks, contributing to some of the most important debates in contemporary defense policy.
We’re excited to explore his insights on strategy and defense technology, and what it really takes to align policy, resources, and military power in an era of strategic competition.
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