At the 2025 Zero Trust Summit, Dr. Wanda Jones Heath, Principal Cyber Advisor for the Department of the Air Force, discussed the significant technical and operational challenges in achieving a zero-trust environment by 2027. Technical hurdles include the need for substantial investment, manpower, and the integration of various modernization efforts. Operational challenges focus on ensuring a secure environment for warfighters to access data anytime, anywhere, emphasizing the importance of user