Army Cyber Mission Force - Ambitions and Realities

Abstract

The 2010 US Army Training and Doctrine Commands Concept Capability Plan for Cyberspace Operations directed the Army to begin development of a Cyber Mission Force. The direction to build a Cyber Mission Force followed a number of cyberspace attacks conducted to support military operations. The foundation of the Cyber Mission Force will be the highly technical soldiers trained to operate in the cyberspace domain. To develop this force the Army will need to recruit, retain, and organize for success. Research has shown that persons drawn to highly technical fields, such as cyberspace, possess unique character traits that differ from the typical traits of Army enlistees. The research has further shown that compensation, branding, professional development models, and organization are key factors in the recruitment and retention of cyberspace professionals in both the military services and private sector. Assessing the Armys model for recruiting, retaining, and organizing a Cyber Mission Force required a number of steps. First, it was necessary to understand the unique generational and character traits for those drawn to highly technical fields. The next step involved comparing Air Force and private sector branding with that of the Army. The research also examined compensation differences between the Air Force, private sector, and the Army in regard to recruiting and retaining cyberspace professionals. Next followed analysis of professional development models for cyberspace professionals and how professional development directly impacts retention of cyberspace professionals. The last step involved examining how the Air Force, private sector and the Army approach organizing for cyberspace operations. The study found that the Armys current approach to recruiting, retaining, and organizing a Cyber Mission Force is unlikely to meet the Armys goals.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 21, 2015
Accession Number
AD1007976

Entities

People

  • Kevin P. Romano

Organizations

  • School of Advanced Military Studies

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Cyber
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Business Administration
  • Cyber Protection
  • Cybersecurity
  • Cyberspace
  • Cyberspace Operations
  • Doctrine
  • Employment
  • Information Security
  • Information Systems
  • Military Science
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Professional Development
  • Recruiting
  • Students
  • United States

Readers

  • Cybersecurity.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Naval Personnel Management

Technology Areas

  • Cyber