The Department of Defense will establish a digital academy to close the cybersecurity skills gap in the U.S. military under the recently signed defense authorization bill for fiscal year 2023, Federal News Network said Friday.
The newly minted Department of Defense Cyber and Digital Service Academy will provide scholarships to university students in exchange for five years of service in a civilian position focused on digital technology and cyber at the Pentagon.
Under the program, DOD will promote cyber and digital service training in higher education by providing free tuition, books, laboratory expenses and other school fees.
Academy participants will also receive financial assistance for completing their internships while earning their degrees.
Failing to complete the required service commitments will result in reimbursing the government.
The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act also outlines a plan for creating a consortium of universities that will be tasked with advising the secretary of defense on matters related to cybersecurity.
The defense authorization bill, signed into law on Dec. 23, allocates nearly $817 billion to DOD, $30.3 billion for national security programs in the Department of Energy and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board and $378 million for other defense-related activities.
