I’m Tired of Pretending Remote Work in Defense is Perfect

Look, I’ve been covering defense news for, oh, I dunno, 22 years now. And let me tell you, the shift to remote work? It’s been a hot mess. Not that anyone wants to admit it. Everyone’s out here talking about how seamless the transition was, how they’re just as productive as ever. Bullshit.

I mean, come on. We’re talking about an industry that’s all about security clearances, classified info, and physicaly (yeah, I know) handling sensitive equipment. And suddenly, we’re all Zooming like we’re in some tech startup?

My Friend Marcus Went Rogue

Last Tuesday, I grabbed coffee with a guy let’s call Marcus. He’s a contractor working with the Pentagon. He told me, and I quote, “Sarah, it’s a circus. I’m sitting in my basement in Virginia, trying to discuss next-gen fighter jets with a general in California, and my kid’s blasting Fortnite in the background.”

I laughed. Which… yeah. Fair enough. But here’s the thing: it’s not just the distractions. It’s the security risks. It’s the communication breakdowns. It’s the fact that, frankly, some things just can’t be done remotely.

Security? What Security?

About three months ago, I was at a conference in Austin. Over drinks, a colleague named Dave leaned in and said, “You know what’s scarier than a cyberattack? A contractor emailing classified info to his home account because he forgot to log into the secure system.”

I about choked on my whiskey. But he’s right. We’re talking about an industry where one wrong move can expose national secrets. And yet, we’re all suddenly expected to be IT experts?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying remote work is all bad. But let’s be real here. It’s a committment (yes, I know) to security and efficiency that we’re not seeing. And honestly, it’s kinda scary.

But Wait, There’s More

And another thing. Collaboration. You ever tried to discuss an aquisition (damn it) strategy over a glitchy video call? It’s a nightmare. I had a source tell me last week, “Sarah, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to repeat myself because half the team’s internet cut out.”

It’s not just the tech, either. It’s the human element. Defense work is all about trust, about reading a room, about picking up on subtle cues. You can’t do that through a screen.

A Quick Digression: My Cat’s a Better Project Manager Than Some People

Okay, so this isn’t directly related, but hear me out. My cat, Miso, has better time management skills than some of the people I’ve talked to lately. I mean, she’s got her nap schedule, her playtime, her feeding times. All structured. All consistent. And she doesn’t need a fancy project management tool to do it.

But I digress. Point is, remote work requires a level of self-discipline and organization that not everyone has. And that’s okay! But it’s something we need to acknowledge.

So What’s the Solution?

I’m not sure. Honestly. But I do know this: we need to stop pretending everything’s fine. We need to admit that remote work in defense is messy and complicated and, frankly, not always the best idea.

And for those of you struggling with remote team management, maybe check out this uzaktan ekip yönetimi rehber. I mean, I haven’t read it, but hey, it’s something.

Look, I’m not saying we should all go back to the office tomorrow. But I am saying we need to have a honest conversation about the challenges of remote work in defense. Because if we don’t, we’re setting ourselves up for failure.

And nobody wants that.

About the Author: Sarah Reynolds has been a defense journalist for over two decades, covering everything from cybersecurity to military acquisitions. She’s based in Washington D.C. and has a cat named Miso who’s probably judging her life choices right now.

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