Breaking Defense is pleased to announce an exciting development that will expand and deepen our coverage. Valerie Insinna will be rejoining Breaking Defense as Senior Reporter covering both Congress and global business of defense, starting March 4.
In this new role, Insinna will provide coverage for major budget, strategy and political developments involving defense on Capitol Hill. This offers Breaking Defense readers a dedicated focus on the essential funding and oversight role Congress plays in national security. In addition, Insinna will also serve as point person covering the business of defense – the strategies, policies and key developments that drive the companies that form the “arsenal of democracy.” Insinna will also contribute to special enterprise reporting projects, working in tandem with our editorial team.
The creation of this new role is driven directly by current events. A closely divided Congress has become a chokepoint for defense spending, policy and personnel, and the upcoming election will help set the agenda for the Pentagon for years to come. Meanwhile, stress on the global supply chain is expected to increase, while new entrants and technology are rising to challenge the traditional defense industry. The addition of Insinna to focus on acquisition reform, industrial base policy and the broader business milieu, in conjunction with Breaking Defense’s already well-respected group of reporters, will ensure deep coverage of the forces shaping the future of national security.
Insinna comes back to Breaking Defense, where she previously covered military aviation and the Pentagon, after a year spent covering the commercial aviation sector for Reuters. She previously worked as the air warfare beat reporter for Defense News for five years, where she was recognized by numerous awards, including the prestigious National Press Club Michael A. Dornheim Award for defense journalism. Other stops include Defense Daily, National Defense Magazine, and two years as the Washington correspondent for the Tokyo Chunichi Shimbun. She is a graduate of the renowned University of Missouri-Columbia journalism program.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have spent a significant portion of my career working alongside Val, whose deep knowledge of defense issues and excellent news judgement never fails to impress,” said Aaron Mehta, Breaking Defense’s editor in chief. “I’m beyond excited to watch her turned loose on this new beat, which will help expand the already excellent work done by the rest of the editorial team.”
“I couldn’t be more thrilled with the return of Val to Breaking Defense,” said David Smith, managing director and publisher. “We pride ourselves on being a home for great defense journalists like Val. And her addition fills a need we identified – solidifying our coverage of Congress while also expanding coverage of the evolving business of defense.
“For the business beat in particular, it’s a time of fundamental transformation as DoD seeks renewed ability to both sustain and surge to meet peer power threats. New technologies and business models will profoundly shape the path forward, and we now have a veteran journalist on point to cover that,” Smith added. “Establishing a news beat for both Congress and global defense business further signifies our market leadership and the growth of Breaking Defense.”
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