John, a combat-wounded Vietnam veteran, has been fighting to access U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare for his service-connected wounds for more than half a century.1 John was drafted into the Army in 1969 at the height of the Vietnam War as an armor reconnaissance specialist.2 While deployed to Vietnam, he was wounded by an enemy rocket that left permanent scars on his neck.3 Not only did John endure physical injuries, but he also suffers from the invisible wounds of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).4

This commentary makes the case that the Department of Defense (DoD) needs to create its own generative artificial intelligence (GAI) large language model (LLM) similar to ChatGPT.1 Before digging in more thoroughly, however, I must start with a full disclosure2 that this commentary was not written with the help of any generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) chatbot or other GAI LLM.3 Given GPT technology’s uncanny ability to create or improve written prose on many subjects, it was certainly tempting to run some ideas through the free version of ChatGPT.4

The South China Sea is one of the most hotly disputed areas in the world. Due to its key location as a major trade route with abundant natural resources, Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam have all asserted competing sovereignty claims to portions of the South China Sea.1 Maritime features in the South China Sea are similarly disputed, with the claimant states frantically building installations on varied rocks, reefs, and other features to expand their exclusive economic zones.2

During a recent conversation with colleagues about building and shaping the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps of tomorrow, someone brought up a quote attributed to the famed football coach Vince Lombardi. He once said to his team, “Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence. I am not remotely interested in just being good.”1