Message to the Readers of the Forum from the Editor

As Editor of the relatively new publication Second Line of Defense Forum, I received an official letter from Aviation Week and Space Technology Reporter Bill Sweetman. Mr. Sweetman identified himself as Editor in Chief, Defense Technology International. All are part of McGraw-Hill Companies.

http://www.aviationweek.com/Publications/dti.aspx?channel=dti

Because Second Line of Defense Forum is so new I thought Mr Sweetam’s letter was a perfect opportunity to inform our growing readership of my background and why I think Second Line of Defense Forum is a worthy and honorable addition to the robust intellectual community debating all aspects of National Security.

The full letter is presented below, however I did redact the e-mail address of all parties.

From: bill.sweetman

To:
Sent: 9/3/2011 8:11:51 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Msg for Ed Timperlake

Dear Mr Timperlake,

Since you have taken it upon yourself to attack my reporting competence, I’m taking the liberty of putting a question to you.

Can you confirm to me that neither SLDInfo, ICSA LLC, nor any companies in which its principals have a controlling interest, have received payments from Lockheed Martin, United Technologies, BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman?

I look forward to your reply.

Bill Sweetman
Editor in Chief
Defense Technology International

Mr. Sweetman,

Yes I take full responsibility for addressing your recent reporting-if you want to characterize it as “attack my reporting competence”-those are your words and I will not argue with you. I also pointed in my article that in my professional judgment Aviation Week and Space Technology missed a significant and materially important element in their ISR issue when they did not look at Northern Edge.

My article is linked below-

http://www.sldforum.com/2011/08/way-ahead/

The second half of your official on the record “message” has a very direct question that I will answer.

I left the Department of Defense on Jan 9, 2009, and began to try and rebuild a writing career. I am developing a book proposal for my agent, since my first Co-Authored book; Year of the Rat was on the NYT Best Seller List for 22 weeks.

I also began to freelance and submit articles for pay. I started with the Washington Times because the late wonderful Mary Lou Forbes, Editor Commentary Section was the first Editor to publish me for pay before I began to write books.  I was also paid by Second Line of Defense for writing about the aviation history of the Cold War and an article on the emergence of “3 Dimensional Warriors.”

I also submit pro bono articles to the fantastic web site “American Thinker” when I feel very strongly about a specific subject-my latest;

http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/08/what_about_the_enlisted_ranks.html

Mr Sweetman that is it.  I have never taken money from “Lockheed Martin, United Technologies, BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman?” or to be more “Shermanesq” I have never taken any money by any defense, contractor or firm to write an article for publication or for that matter engage in any media forum for example TV news programs.

With specific respect to my Editorship—I was asked that if for a modest monthly honorarium would I become the first Editor of Second Line of Defense Forum.

I took the position for two reasons that I found extremely important and with only one condition.

The first reason is I wanted to have Editorial control over a site that can do instantaneous turn around of important ideas and facts that help move forward the most important debate today-the role and resources necessary for a strong forward looking American National Security agenda.

The second was the joy of learning how to create, build and navigate a cyber “dashboard” to publish an interesting and worthy product in order to make Second Line of Defense Fourm an important part of the wave of the future in 24/7 internet publishing.

My only condition and I believe it goes to the heart of your question-I accepted the Editor position with only one condition— complete freedom of selecting what to publish, and how I can write about what I think important. By your question I can see absolutely no conflict of interest.

In fact let me reverse the issue-what if I wrote to Mr Anthony Velocci, Editor-In-Chief Aviation Week and Space Technology and asked him the following-

“Can you confirm to me that neither Aviation Week and Space Technology, Defense Technology International nor any companies in which its principals have a controlling interest, have received payments from Lockheed Martin, United Technologies, BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman?’

Ed Timperlake

Editor

Second Line of Defense Forum