8140 Qualification & Readiness
Qualification is how the DoD builds a mission-ready cyberspace workforce. DoDM 8140.03 defines readiness and standardization as “the qualification baseline that all cyberspace workforce members will attain, according to their assigned work role.”
Who, How, and When Do 8140 Qualification Requirements Apply?
The who, how and when of this manual is covered in our 8140.03 Implementation section. This includes:
How does an individual achieve and maintain qualification?
An individual can have up to three DCWF work roles.
For each work role, they must meet and maintain several required elements per role. These are outlined in the qualifications matrix below.
| Basic | Intermediate | Advanced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational Qualification Options— Demonstration of knowledge |
Education Training Personnel Certification |
Option -or- Option -or- Option |
Option -or- Option -or- Option |
Option -or- Option -or- Option |
| Experience | Conditional Alternative |
Conditional Alternative |
Conditional Alternative |
|
| Foundational Qualification Alternative |
Experience may be accepted in lieu of foundational qualification options for eligible incumbents (DoDM 8140.03, §3.2.b.(2)) | |||
| Residential Qualification— Demonstration of Capability |
On-the-Job Qualification |
Always Required |
Always Required |
Always Required |
| Environment Specific Requirements |
Component Discretion |
Component Discretion |
Component Discretion |
|
| Current with technology, hostile actor tactics |
Continuous Professional Development |
> Of 20 Hours/Year Or Cert. Reqmt. |
> Of 20 Hours/Year Or Cert. Reqmt. |
> Of 20 Hours/Year Or Cert. Reqmt. |
Current Version: Foundational Qualification Matrix v2.1 (effective September 19, 2025). Qualification options are mapped to each DCWF work role at Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced proficiency levels. View qualification tools and SOPs
What does each qualification category mean?
| Category | What It Means | How It’s Met |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational | Demonstration of knowledge for your work role | One of: Education (degree within 5 years), Training (approved course covering 70% of role KSAs), or Personnel Certification (ISO 17024 accredited). A foundational qualification alternative via Experience is available for eligible incumbents. |
| Residential | Demonstration of on-the-job capability | On-the-Job Qualification is always required — a supervised period demonstrating you can perform the work role tasks. Environment Specific Requirements (tools, systems, SOPs) are at Component discretion. |
| Continuous | Staying current with evolving threats and technology | At least 20 hours per year of professional development (courses, seminars, cyber ranges, self-study, publishing, etc.) or the CPD required to maintain role-required certifications. |
Proficiency Levels
Proficiency levels describe the readiness expected for a position — they are about capability, not rank or grade. A position may require multiple work roles at different proficiency levels. (DoDM 8140.03, §3.3)
| Level | Readiness Expectation |
|---|---|
| Basic | Familiarity with basic concepts and processes. Performs successfully in routine, structured situations with frequent, specific guidance. |
| Intermediate | Extensive knowledge of concepts and processes. Performs successfully in non-routine and sometimes complicated situations with periodic high-level guidance. |
| Advanced | In-depth understanding of advanced concepts. Provides guidance to others. Performs successfully in complex, unstructured situations with little to no guidance. |