Bill > S5504

This bill directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a temporary pilot program—running until September 30, 2031—that pairs advanced military cyber operations and information aggressor units with colleges and universities recognized by the National Security Agency under the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity program, which is a government initiative that designates academic institutions meeting high standards for cyber research, defense, and operations. As part of the Defense Cyber Workforce Framework (a strategic plan to manage and develop the military's cyber personnel), this partnership aims to strengthen the nation's cybersecurity workforce pipeline, improve military training through joint research and exercises, and create direct career pathways into the federal government by leveraging existing programs like the Cyber Service Academy. To achieve this, the pilot program will establish student research cells to support military threat analysis, assess the time and costs required to secure necessary security clearances and network access for students, evaluate the effectiveness of participating college curricula, and track students to measure how the program impacts their future employment within the Department of Defense.