Secretary of War Pete Hegseth Wins 2026 Wash100 Award for Driving Acquisition Reform & Military Modernization
Executive Mosaic is proud to announce that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has been selected as a 2026 Wash100 Award recipient for his leadership in advancing military modernization and driving acquisition reform across the Department of War.
Participate in the 2026 Wash100 Award popular vote! Support Pete Hegseth and other top GovCon leaders at Wash100.com.
“Secretary Hegseth has introduced a renewed sense of urgency and innovation to Pentagon acquisition through reforms like the Army Transformation Initiative and the visionary GenAI.mil AI-first workforce effort. Additionally, his leadership in developing an online marketplace for counter-drone systems streamlined how military leaders access critical capabilities in real time and helped them get transformational technologies into warfighters’ hands faster,” said Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award.
“Secretary Hegseth’s Army service, including deployments to Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan, informs a leadership approach rooted in real-world operational experience. His leadership delivered meaningful progress and positioned the Pentagon for continued success ahead,” Garrettson continued.
Why Is Pete Hegseth Winning a 2026 Wash100 Award?
Hegseth is being recognized for leading a broad transformation of defense acquisition, policy and technology strategy, with an emphasis on accelerating capability delivery, strengthening oversight and modernizing the Department of War.
Transforming Acquisition & Procurement Systems
In 2025, he unveiled sweeping reforms to the War Department’s weapons acquisition system, targeting long-standing bureaucratic inefficiencies in the department’s development and fielding of military capabilities. These initiatives included proposals to promote competition, eliminate process delays and ensure faster delivery of systems to operational forces.
Hegseth is leading efforts to implement an executive order that aims to restrict stock buybacks, corporate distributions and executive compensation practices to transform defense contracting practices to prioritize warfighter needs. He also directed the adoption of the Software Acquisition Pathway to advance the development and deployment of software and weapons systems.
“While commercial industry has rapidly adjusted to a software-defined product reality, DoD has struggled to reframe our acquisition process from a hardware-centric to a software-centric approach,” Hegseth said in the March 6 memorandum. “When it comes to software acquisition, we are overdue in pivoting to a performance-based outcome and, as such, it is the Warfighter who pays the price.”
Strengthening Industrial Base & Global Partnerships
Hegseth advanced efforts to strengthen collaboration with industry by engaging defense industrial base leaders to streamline acquisition processes.
He also introduced new guidance to unify the department’s arms transfer and security cooperation enterprise, aimed at enhancing efficiency and strengthening coordination with allies and partners. The memo is intended to speed up defense delivery and boost transparency within both foreign military sales and direct commercial sales systems.
Eliminating Wasteful Spending
As part of broader reform efforts, Hegseth is pushing to eliminate wasteful spending across the department. Since announcing the initiative in February 2025, the department has saved around $800 million, including more than $580 million recouped from redundant contracts, underperforming programs and outdated grants in March alone.
The action supports ongoing efforts to reallocate resources toward higher-priority defense needs and boost overall efficiency within the department.
Advancing Policy Reform & Strategic Direction
Beyond procurement, Hegseth introduced new directives to reshape departmental culture and strengthen warfighting readiness. He also ordered a review of the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program to examine integrity within federal contracting.
Under his leadership, the department released the 2026 National Defense Strategy, prioritizing homeland defense and regional deterrence, alongside organizational changes, including a secondary renaming to the Department of War.
Accelerating Emerging Technology & Operational Capabilities
Hegseth directed initiatives to rapidly field new capabilities, including the formation of a joint interagency task force to accelerate the development of counter-drone systems and guidance to equip warfighters with U.S.-built drones.
“Drone dominance is a process race as much as a technological race. Modern battlefield innovation demands a new procurement strategy that fuses manufacturers with our frontline troops,” said Hegseth.
He also advanced digital modernization through policies to secure IT and cloud systems against foreign threats and measures to streamline IT consulting and leverage in-house capabilities.
“While we rely on our vital industrial base to deliver cutting-edge technology and support, we must in-source more expertise and harness the unparalleled talent of our existing experts to drive financial efficiency and operational strength,” Hegseth said.
Expanding Artificial Intelligence Adoption
In parallel, Hegseth launched a department-wide initiative to accelerate AI adoption and experimentation, highlighted by seven Pace-Setting Projects intended to set new execution standards across the department. He also ordered the restructuring of the Advana program to enhance data-driven decision-making and auditability.
Who Is Pete Hegseth?
Hegseth serves as the 29th secretary of war, a role he assumed after his selection by President Donald Trump and Senate confirmation on Jan. 25, 2025. He leads the Department of War, overseeing military operations, strategic priorities and a global workforce spanning millions of service members and civilians.
Hegseth’s Military Background
Commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army National Guard after graduating from Princeton University in 2003, Hegseth went on to serve in a series of operational deployments. His assignments included Guantanamo Bay as well as combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he led soldiers in active-duty environments.
In addition to his field experience, he held staff positions within the National Guard, contributing to mission planning and operational support. His service earned him multiple honors, including two Bronze Star Medals, the Joint Commendation Medal and Army Commendation Medals, along with the Combat Infantryman Badge and Expert Infantryman Badge.
Transition to Public & Policy Roles
After his military service, Hegseth moved into the public sphere, taking on leadership and advocacy roles focused on veterans’ issues and national policy. He served as CEO of Concerned Veterans for America, where he led initiatives on veterans’ affairs and government reform.
He later became a familiar presence in broadcast media as a co-host of “FOX & Friends Weekend” on Fox News, while also contributing commentary to outlets such as National Review. Alongside his media work, Hegseth authored several books, including “The War on Warriors,” which became a New York Times best-seller.
Executive Mosaic commends Pete Hegseth for his inclusion in this year’s list of Wash100 Award winners.
Show your support for Hegseth by choosing him as one of your picks in the 2026 Wash100 popular vote contest.