Defense Commits to Cyber Workforce

The Defense Department on Thursday released a cyber defense strategy that focuses in part on creating a top-notch cybersecurity workforce.

The strategy includes five initiatives the Pentagon will focus on to combat threats in cyberspace: treating cyberspace as an operational domain, implementing new defense concepts to protect networks and systems, partnering with other agencies and the private sector to implement a cyber strategy, building a cybersecurity relationship with U.S. allies and building up the department's cybersecurity talent.

Specifically, the workforce portion of the strategy includes a commitment from Defense to regularly assess its cyber workforce, requirements and capabilities. The strategy also includes plans to establish dynamic programs to attract cyber talent early, leverage the president's hiring reform initiatives, and work with the White House to explore strategies designed to streamline hiring practices for the cyber workforce and develop exchange programs to allow cyber professionals to rotate in and out of the private sector.

Defense also will create new cross-generational mentoring programs as a means to grow cyber talent for future defense and national security missions, according to the plan. "Opportunities for exchanges and continuing education programs will be explored by DoD, infusing an entrepreneurial approach in cyber workforce development," the plan states. "Continued education and training will be hallmarks of the cyber workforce, preserving and developing DoD's intellectual capital."

Defense already holds several flexibilities to recruit and hire cybersecurity talent, including the ability to make direct appointments, set compensation rates, and pay additional benefits and incentives to cybersecurity workers. Nicole Dean, acting director for the National Cybersecurity Division at the Homeland Security Department, said last month that the administration's proposed cybersecurity legislation seeks to bring those same flexibilities to DHS.