Posted on Dec 7, 2017
Army offers direct commissions to boost cyber force
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They could make a thing called the Limited Duty Officer (LDO) that was in the Marines and Navy. There are some aspects that they were similar to W.O. They would not be commanding infantry companies, they would be focused on their specialty.
Army offers direct commissions to boost cyber force
Posted from fifthdomain.comPosted in these groups: 
Cyber COE (Formerly SIGCoE)
Cyber
Information Technology
Information AssuranceARCYBER
Cyber COE (Formerly SIGCoE) Cyber Information Technology Information AssuranceARCYBER
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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I still say this is a bad idea and it will ultimately hurt Army Cyber.
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SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint
I agree, unless it was separately managed...and then it just becomes a more costly Warrant Officer program.
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Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin
You don't want an operational capability separately managed. It's hard enough to get a seat at the table when it comes to integrating with the other warfighters. This is not going to help. The Warrant Officer program is perfect. Especially when it comes to making operators. In the Air Force, the Officers are getting minimal hands on experience as most of the hands on goes to the Enlisted and Civilians. The Officers are meant to lead the teams and do not need to get on keyboard as the advance in ranks. The Warrant Officer would give the Air Force more options, but they seem very resistant in making it happen.
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If this is what they want, then why didn't the Army start by recruiting them directly into ROTC? My problem with this - the Army is equating this with the fields of Medicine or Law; that is a poor comparison. The best comparison would be the automotive or aviation warrant.
Of the task listed; "The officers will do a range of tasks such as building tools and devices, writing algorithms, ciphers and programs, and doing research to support Cyber Mission Force teams." There is only one that would normally be seen and understood as an officer task - doing research.
It is also interesting that the following was stated - "Army cyber leaders see the interview as critical to determining if the applicant is someone who will meet the security needs of the force." Considering everything that this statement implies, why wouldn't the Army conduct a security background check before going to the expense of conducting this interview, starting the individual on the path, and then do a security background check only to find out that the individual can not get the clearance needed?
This is another reason why the Army should bring back the SPC-5 through SPC-8 ranks.
All in all, this is just creating a new unwarranted class of military members.
Of the task listed; "The officers will do a range of tasks such as building tools and devices, writing algorithms, ciphers and programs, and doing research to support Cyber Mission Force teams." There is only one that would normally be seen and understood as an officer task - doing research.
It is also interesting that the following was stated - "Army cyber leaders see the interview as critical to determining if the applicant is someone who will meet the security needs of the force." Considering everything that this statement implies, why wouldn't the Army conduct a security background check before going to the expense of conducting this interview, starting the individual on the path, and then do a security background check only to find out that the individual can not get the clearance needed?
This is another reason why the Army should bring back the SPC-5 through SPC-8 ranks.
All in all, this is just creating a new unwarranted class of military members.
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