Field notes

Notes from the work I am actually shipping.

What I am seeing in current builds, frontier AI, and software calls. Written so an operator can decide what to do next.

FeaturedAug 28, 20266 min read

A supply-chain-risk label is not a blank check to punish a vendor

The most important AI story on Friday, August 28, 2026 is not another model launch. It is a federal judge telling the Pentagon that a national-security label is not a free pass to punish a lab for stating its use-case limits in public.

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The three piles I write in most. Counts are matching notes in the archive.

AI systemsWhat the models can do, where they fail, and how I would actually run them.72 notes Shipping softwareHow the work gets out the door, and what I would cut next time.25 notes Defense and governancePolicy, cyber risk, and the controls that keep a deployment from getting cute.43 notes

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Military Network

The Power of Military Networking in Tech Entrepreneurship

Military networking powers tech entrepreneurship: 2.5 million veteran-owned businesses generate $1.2 trillion annually with 30% higher startup success rates. Leverage 18-million-strong veteran network, SDVOSB contracts, veteran VCs, and service-forged trust for competitive advantage.

Feb 21, 2025 · 11 min read · Steve Defendre

Shipping Solutions at AI Speed

How modern AI coding assistants transformed our consultancy workflow from weeks to days, and what that means for client delivery

Jan 4, 2025 · 8 min read · Steve Defendre