CIO Sherman issues policy to manage cyber workforce developments

By Audrey Decker / February 16, 2023 at 9:43 AM

As the Defense Department faces challenges to recruit and train "cyber warriors," the office of DOD Chief Information Officer John Sherman has released guidance aiming to unify its cyber workforce efforts under a common umbrella.

The manual, titled 8140.03 Cyberspace Workforce Qualification and Management Program, is the third issue in the CIO’s 8140 policy series, which helps the department identify, develop and qualify cyber personnel.

Specifically, the 8140.03 manual “modernizes DOD talent management, allowing for more targeted and flexible approaches within the cyber human capital lifecycle,” according to a DOD announcement yesterday.

While competing for cyber talent with the commercial tech industry, the Pentagon is hoping to track and manage its cyber workforce across the DOD enterprise with its 8140 policy series.

“The manual will guide the department’s ability to verify and advance capabilities for all 225,000 DOD cyber workforce civilians, military personnel, and contractors. Together, the upcoming DOD Cyber Workforce Strategy and DOD 8140 will enable the DOD to develop and deploy an agile, capable and ready cyber workforce," said Patrick Johnson, director of CIO’s workforce innovation directorate.

Concurrently, the Office of the National Cyber Director is working on a national cyber workforce strategy and more broadly, the Biden administration is expected to release a national cyber strategy in early 2023.

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