General(ly) Speaking

About the Book

The articles, speeches, and presentations collected in this book are just a sampling of the subjects General Sammet was asked to talk about during his thirty-seven years in the acquisition business. General Sammet’s advice: Use what you will of it. You will still make mistakes, but maybe fewer of them. Be aware of trying to achieve the mistakeless society, a goal which is very costly and never achievable.

About the Author

Born in Chicago, Sammet entered the Army from ROTC in 1942. He has a B.S. from the University of Illinois, M.S in International Relations from George Washington University, and M.P.E. from the Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh. An Honors Graduate from the National War College, he retired from the Army in 1977 as a Lieutenant General. He joined Martin Marietta Aerospace, eventually becoming Vice President of Procurement; later, Corporate Vice President of Ethics. In 1977 Sammet was knighted by the King of Sweden, and in 1994 elected into the U.S. Army Ordnance Hall of Fame.