Owen West
Owen West is a Marine Corps veteran and former financial analyst at Goldman Sachs. He served as an assistant secretary of defense in the first Trump administration and was reportedly tapped to lead the DOGE team at the Pentagon after the departure of Yinon Weiss.
Positions
Appointed:
2/XX/25-7/XX/25 Financial Strategist
Promotion:
7/XX/25-3/XX/26 promoted
Promotion:
3/XX/26 promoted to Team Lead
Appointed:
2/XX/25-7/XX/25 Financial Strategist
Promotion:
7/XX/25-3/XX/26 promoted
Promotion:
3/XX/26 promoted to Team Lead
| Source: | LinkedIn profile for Owen West LinkedIn, |
| Source: | LinkedIn profile for Owen West LinkedIn, |
| Source: | Hegseth lashed out at DOGE official in tense Pentagon confrontation The Washington Post, 7/15/25 |
| Source: | LinkedIn profile for Owen West LinkedIn, |
Events
2/XX/25
| Appointed: | Owen West 2/XX/25-7/XX/25 |
| Position Title: | Financial Strategist |
| Source: | LinkedIn profile for Owen West LinkedIn, |
7/10/25
Official Action:
The Pentagon releases a memo calling for “drone dominance,” including increasing manufacturing, embedding drones within armed units and assuming more risk in developing new technologies. The memo is signed by Pete Hegseth, but it was disributed with a DOGE Controlled tag and revealed the appointment of Owen West as the chief point of contact. This is a marked departure from DOGE’s spending control and personnel reduction efforts at the agency.
Official Action:
The Pentagon releases a memo calling for “drone dominance,” including increasing manufacturing, embedding drones within armed units and assuming more risk in developing new technologies. The memo is signed by Pete Hegseth, but it was disributed with a DOGE Controlled tag and revealed the appointment of Owen West as the chief point of contact. This is a marked departure from DOGE’s spending control and personnel reduction efforts at the agency.
| Person: | Owen West |
| Source: | Hegseth lashed out at DOGE official in tense Pentagon confrontation The Washington Post, 7/15/25 |
| Agency: | DOD |
| DOGE Project: | IT Modernization |
7/XX/25
| Promotion: | Owen West 7/XX/25-3/XX/26 |
| Source: | LinkedIn profile for Owen West LinkedIn, |
| Source: | Hegseth lashed out at DOGE official in tense Pentagon confrontation The Washington Post, 7/15/25 |
10/31/25
Report:
The DOGE team at the Pentagon is reported to be leading efforts to change how the military procures and uses drones and is expected to submit a report to leadership in the coming weeks. One of their goals is reportedly to acquire 30,000 drones in the next few months before ramping up further. The team’s work is being led by Owen West, who also co-authored a drone memo in June.
Report:
The DOGE team at the Pentagon is reported to be leading efforts to change how the military procures and uses drones and is expected to submit a report to leadership in the coming weeks. One of their goals is reportedly to acquire 30,000 drones in the next few months before ramping up further. The team’s work is being led by Owen West, who also co-authored a drone memo in June.
| Person: | Owen West |
| Source: | Pentagon's DOGE unit to revamp military drone program, sources say The Straits Times, 10/31/25 |
| Agency: | DOD |
| DOGE Project: | IT Modernization |
1/10/26
Action:
Owen West is named as the new head of the Defense Innovation Unit at the Department of Defense. He has been the head of the DOGE team at the Pentagon and is expected to take over his new position in February or March.
Action:
Owen West is named as the new head of the Defense Innovation Unit at the Department of Defense. He has been the head of the DOGE team at the Pentagon and is expected to take over his new position in February or March.
| Person: | Owen West |
| Source: | Pentagon Chooses DOGE Official and Former Trader to Head Innovation Unit The Wall Street Journal, 1/10/26 |
| Agency: | DOD |
3/XX/26
| Promotion: | Owen West 3/XX/26 |
| Position Title: | Team Lead |
| Source: | LinkedIn profile for Owen West LinkedIn, |
| Promotion: | Owen West 7/XX/25-3/XX/26 |
| Source: | LinkedIn profile for Owen West LinkedIn, |
| Source: | Hegseth lashed out at DOGE official in tense Pentagon confrontation The Washington Post, 7/15/25 |