“If [adversaries] see that we're unable to respond, as we have in the past, then it's very likely that we will see an increase in malicious activity," one expert told Breaking Defense. "No question about it."
"You'd be amazed at things that have to come to my level to get approved or to get through where I think that should have been done three or four levels lower," said Mark Gorak, principal director for resources and analysis for the DoD Chief Information Officer.
This year Breaking Defense heard straight from some top network and tech officials in the Pentagon about their ambitious plans.
“A cyber service might have some benefits in ease of administrative management, but we have a variety of...military services in the Department of Defense who perform a variety of missions," Mieke Eoyang said.
"Anybody who leads knows that the hardest thing to do is change culture,” Mark Gorak told Breaking Defense. "And I think we have to do that in order to retain the force we have.”
"Everyone recognizes our shortages and our problem," Mike Gorak said. "So we're going to try new things and we're going to try innovative things, which, not all will work. and that's okay."
Cybersecurity skills must evolve in near-real time as Zero Day threats continue and AI provides new challenges.
“This strategy utilizes four human capital pillars - Identification, Recruitment, Development and Retention - to identify and group cyber workforce challenges,” according to slides.