DoD 8140
The DoD 8140 policy series establishes the qualification and management framework for the Department of Defense (DoD) cyberspace workforce — ensuring the personnel who build, secure, operate, defend, and protect DoD cyberspace resources are qualified and mission-ready. The 8140 series replaced the previous DoD 8570 Information Assurance Workforce Improvement Program with a broader, readiness-focused framework spanning the entire cyberspace workforce.
The key goals of DoD 8140 are to:
The 8140 series supports the broader goal of enhancing the security and resilience of the DoD’s information systems by ensuring that its workforce is well-prepared to handle evolving cybersecurity threats and challenges. The DoD Cyber Workforce Strategy (FY24–FY27) sets the strategic goals for how the DoD will recruit, develop, and retain this workforce. The DCWF work roles are derived from the federal NICE Framework, extending it with DoD-specific roles and qualification requirements.
The DoD 8140 policy series consists of three issuances: DoDD 8140.01 (Oct 2020), the top-level directive establishing the DCWF and the Cyberspace Workforce Management Board; DoDI 8140.02 (Dec 2021), the instruction for identifying and tracking the workforce; and DoDM 8140.03 (Feb 2023), the implementation manual defining qualification requirements. The 8140 policy implements Sections 303 and 304 of the Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act of 2015. The DoD views qualification as the foundation of mission readiness: “cyberspace is a warfighting domain that requires a knowledgeable and capable cyberspace workforce to meet rapidly evolving missions” (DoDM 8140.03, §4.5).