Palantir, Meta, OpenAI, And Thinking Machines Just Had Their Executives Sworn Into The US Army Reserve
Four top tech executives have joined the U.S. Army Reserve as lieutenant colonels, skipping basic training and stepping directly into roles aimed at helping modernize the military.
The initiative is part of a broader push by the Army to bring in private-sector innovation and reshape how the service approaches technology, talent, and modernization.
The executives—Palantir (NYSE:PLTR) Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar, Meta (NASDAQ:META) CTO Andrew Bosworth, OpenAI Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil, and advisor at Thinking Machines Lab and former OpenAI Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew — will serve in a new unit called Detachment 201, also known as the Army's Executive Innovation Corps.
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'Detachment 201 is being created to bring in tech innovation executives to help the Army ... on broader conceptual things like talent management, how do we bring in tech-focused people into the ranks of the military, and then, how do we train them,' Army Chief of Staff spokesperson Col. Dave Butler, told Breaking Defense on June 13.
Unlike traditional recruits, these executives will not attend boot camp. Instead, they will go through an express training program that covers marksmanship, physical fitness, Army history, and protocols. They will be expected to serve about 120 hours per year and pass annual fitness tests.
'You could think of it as a pilot' of a lighter version of basic training, Butler told Business Insider.
The detachment's name, 201, references the HTTP status code indicating a newly created resource—a fitting metaphor for a new kind of Army asset.
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According to an Army statement, the new officers will work on 'targeted projects to help guide rapid and scalable tech solutions to complex problems.'
Their advisory roles will include input on AI-powered military systems and optimization tools for soldier fitness. However, safeguards will be in place to avoid conflicts of interest with their current or former employers.
'We've done this over and over when our nation needed top talent,' Butler told Breaking Defense. 'The difference is we used to do it in wartime. Now we're doing it ahead of wartime so that we can prepare and deter.'
This marks another move by the Trump administration to align more closely with Silicon Valley. Palantir, Anduril, and other VC-backed defense tech startups have increasingly become major players in national security. Meta recently partnered with Anduril to develop augmented reality tools and AI systems for military use.Historically, direct commissioning has been used to bring in specialized talent, such as doctors or chaplains, during times of war. This move represents a peacetime shift aimed at long-term transformation.
'Their swearing-in is just the start of a bigger mission to inspire more tech pros to serve without leaving their careers,' the Army statement said. 'Showing the next generation how to make a difference in uniform.'
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This article Palantir, Meta, OpenAI, And Thinking Machines Just Had Their Executives Sworn Into The US Army Reserve originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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