CESG Connections Magazine 2020 Issue | Page 33

They listened and were interested in what I had to say, asked me to come on board as a consultant/contractor, and I am still heavily involved with them to this day. TODAY, YOU ARE MORE INVOLVED WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT THAN JUST WITH THE MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY? DO YOU KNOW SKUNK BAXTER? As I said, it is a deep interest and passion. Yes, my work has expanded, and I engage on different subjects with our intelligence and defense communities: red teams, simulations—the gamut. THE ANSWER is “Yes” for many, and it is also “Yes” for the many more who initially claim they do not. Jeffrey 'Skunk' Baxter wears two hats, and not everyone is familiar with his work as a trusted advisor to some of America’s top intelligence, national security, and political leaders. He is highly regarded for his creative and out-of-the box assessments as they relate to a number of diverse missions, technologies, and strategies. And he is as welcome in the halls of the Pentagon as he is in the halls of Congress. Bottom line: Skunk Baxter is a patriot, a man whose passion for his country runs deep and whose background is unique. FROM DOOBIE BROTHERS TO STRATEGIC MISSILE DEFENSE? The other hat he wears is one recognized by almost everyone who knows anything about music. Skunk is a Grammy award-winning guitarist, former lead guitarist for the Doobie Brothers, and one of the cofounders of Steely Dan. If those names don’t ring a bell, you probably aren’t much past middle school. Skunk has played, performed, and recorded with many of the biggest names in rock and roll and still does as a member of the American Vinyl band. YOU ALSO WERE A POLICE OFFICER? SO HOW DOES ONE GO FROM SUPERSTAR ROCK MUSICIAN TO NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR? I always had an interest in national security and government generally and defense technologies in particular. And in the early 90s, I started to familiarize myself with defense technology in general, with a view to apply some of that knowledge to music production and creation and digital applications for audio and visual media. I was also very interested in missile defense systems and strategy, and one system in particular—the AEGIS Air Defense System. It occurred to me that the AEGIS system might have missile defense applications, as well. I developed some nontraditional ideas regarding Aegis and the Missile Defense Agency and eventually was able to share these with some folks at the DoD and the Missile Defense Agency. Actually, these have more in common than you might think. There is at least a strong tangential connection if not a direct one. For example, in my view, a radar is basically just an electric guitar on steroids and the physics of frequency, computers, vibration, magnetism, matter, the behavior of electrons, all share commonality with myriad technologies. These relationships translate for me, and I think they do for my government colleagues as well. I was a Reserve Officer for the Anti-Terrorism Division of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). My major contribution to the LAPD was in forensic audio and intelligence analysis. This was primarily in the 1980s. And I am very proud of my work in law enforcement and have the greatest respect for the men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving and protecting. Theirs is a tough job and one that I don’t think gets the respect and support from some people that it should. MANY CONCERNS TODAY ARE BEING EXPRESSED ABOUT CHINA AND ITS WORK ON AI. ANY THOUGHTS? Concerns about China are legitimate. They are an economic power and a military power, and our interests don’t always align. China’s pirating of American intellectual property has, without question, caused substantial harm to the U.S. economy. And, yes, the Chinese are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, robotics, and cutting-edge weapons development. With regard to AI, China is not encumbered by American and Western principles inherent in a democracy: concepts like freedom of thought, CESGovernment.com • 33