The Department of Defense (DoD) stood up a new civilian-facing cyber policy office on March 20, the department announced last Friday.
The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy — mandated by the fiscal year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act — aims to provide the military services and the department at large with a more civilian-facing role into the world of cyber policy.
“In standing up this office, the Department is giving cyber the focus and attention that Congress intended,” Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Sasha Baker, said in a statement.
The new cyber policy office is responsible for developing, coordinating, assessing, and overseeing the implementation of DoD cyberspace policies and strategies, including the Pentagon’s recently unveiled Defense Industrial Base cybersecurity strategy.
The new office will also be responsible for overseeing and certifying the department’s Cyberspace Operations Budget. Additionally, it will provide fiscal and budgetary oversight to U.S. Cyber Command’s $3 billion annual execution with their “Enhanced Budget Control” — recently approved by the FY24 DoD Appropriations Act.
Other responsibilities that fall under the office’s purview include monitoring programs and activities associated with implementation of cyberspace workforce development, recruitment, and retention; overseeing integration of cyberspace operations and capabilities into operations and contingency plan; and developing DoD cyberspace policy guidance on private sector outreach, engagement, and agreements.
The Secretary of Defense designated Ashley Manning, a career member of the DoD Senior Executive Service, to lead the office temporarily until President Biden’s nominee is confirmed by the Senate.
Last week President Biden also announced his nomination of Michael Sulmeyer, who is currently serving as the Principal Cyber Advisor to the Secretary of the Army, to be the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy.
If confirmed, Sulmeyer will operate under the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and serve concurrently as the principal cyber advisor for the department as a whole.
