SecDef Gates is looking to insource acquisition expertise into the Pentagon, hiring 4,100 people in this area by 2010, and 9,000 by 2015.

This is a good idea, but the mindset in this article shows why it will be hard, starting with the title, Top Talent Won’t Pick Pentagon for Pay.

The first assumption is that junior hires, “they won’t know enough to make much of a difference for at least six or seven years,” is simply wrong.

A good person can be online and doing good work in under 6 months, one who is merely competent can do the same in 18.

What’s more, with the expansion of internal positions at the Pentagon, the job prospects for outside consultants shrink accordingly, which will both bring new people in, and dissuade people who have done a few years in there from moving into outside positions.

It’s not going to be easy, but it will be much better than what we have now.