C O R P O R A T I O N Attracting, Recruiting, and Retaining Successful Cyberspace Operations Officers Cyber Workforce Interview Findings Chaitra M. Hardison, Leslie Adrienne Payne, John A. Hamm, Angela Clague, Jacqueline Torres, David Schulker, John S. Crown For more information on this publication, visit www.rand.org/t/RR2618 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available for this publication. ISBN: 978-1-9774-0101-4 Published by the RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif. © Copyright 2019 RAND Corporation R® is a registered trademark. Limited Print and Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited. Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions. The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous. RAND is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and committed to the public interest. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. Support RAND Make a tax-deductible charitable contribution at www.rand.org/giving/contribute www.rand.org Preface Cybersecurity is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation. Given the U.S. Air Force mission to “fly, fight and win in air, space and cyberspace,” addressing this potential security threat falls squarely within the Air Force’s responsibility. Because of concerns over the current health and future state of the Air Force’s cyberspace community, Air Force leadership asked RAND Project AIR FORCE (PAF) to explore perspectives within the cyberspace operations officer (17D) community to help the Air Force gain insights into key drivers of retention and attraction to the career field. PAF has pursued several lines of research. First, we explored what is already known about the issues within the 17D community, which included a review of relevant literature. Second, we analyzed Air Force personnel data files to better understand key characteristics of the Air Force’s cyber workforce. Third, we conducted a series of interviews with three key populations—senior subject matter experts (SMEs) within the 17D community, members of the 17D workforce, and private-sector cyber specialists. The insights gained from these discussions informed our findings and recommendations, which are detailed in this report. Human subjects protection protocols were used in this study in accordance with the appropriate statutes and Department of Defense (DoD) regulations governing human subjects protection. The views of the sources quoted in this report—including those who have not been identified—are solely their own and do not represent the official policy or position of the DoD or the U.S. Government. The research reported here was sponsored by Maj Gen Patrick C. Higby (SAF/CIO A6S), director of cyberspace strategy and policy for the Office of Information Dominance and chief information officer for the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, and conducted within the Manpower, Personnel, and Training Program of RAND PAF as part of the FY 2017 project Attracting and Retaining Cyber Professionals, and Fostering Their Success in the Air Force. RAND Project AIR FORCE RAND Project AIR FORCE (PAF), a division of the RAND Corporation, is the U.S. Air Force’s federally funded research and development center for studies and analyses. PAF provides the Air Force with independent analyses of policy alternatives affecting the development, employment, combat readiness, and support of current and future air, space, and cyber forces. Research is conducted in four programs: Force Modernization and Employment; Manpower, Personnel, and Training; Resource Management; and Strategy and Doctrine. The research reported here was prepared under contract FA7014-16-D-1000. iii Additional information about PAF is available on our website: http://www.rand.org/paf/ This report documents work originally shared with the U.S. Air Force on October 26, 2017. The draft report, issued on February 12, 2018, was reviewed by formal peer reviewers and U.S. Air Force subject-matter experts. iv Contents Preface ............................................................................................................................................ iii Figures........................................................................................................................................... vii Tables ........................................................................................................................................... viii Summary ........................................................................................................................................ ix Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................................... xviii Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................ xx 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 A Brief Overview of the 17D Cyber Officer Career Field ......................................................... 2 Explaining the Shortage of Field Grade Officers ....................................................................... 3 Exploring Retention Rates Within the Cyber Community ......................................................... 6 Approach and Organization of This Report ................................................................................ 9 2. Our Approach to the Interviews ................................................................................................ 11 Interviews with the 17D Workforce ......................................................................................... 11 Interviews with Air Force Cyber SMEs ................................................................................... 15 Interviews with Private-Sector SMEs ....................................................................................... 17 Our Approach to Reporting Results .......................................................................................... 18 Analysis of Qualitative Interview Comments ........................................................................... 18 3. Desired Characteristics of Cyber Personnel ............................................................................. 21 Existing Research on Desired Characteristics of Cyber Workforce Professionals .................. 21 Existing Research on Desired Characteristics in the Air Force Cyber Workforce ................... 27 Our Interview Findings on the Necessary Attributes of Cyber Personnel ................................ 28 Potential Differences in KSAOs Needed in Private-Sector Versus Military Cyber Workers .................................................................................................................... 33 Additional Research Measuring Links to Effectiveness Could Be Beneficial ......................... 34 4. Insights from the Air Force Cyber Workforce on Recruiting and Retention ........................... 35 Ratings of Satisfaction and Other Aspects of the Job ............................................................... 36 Open-Ended Comments ............................................................................................................ 46 Summary of Key Findings and a Note about Their Interpretation ........................................... 59 5. Conclusions and Recommendations ......................................................................................... 61 Consider Formally Managing the Cyberspace Operations Officer 17D and 17S Positions as Distinct Career Fields ..................................................................................................... 61 Create Opportunities for Cyber Officers to Pursue Technical Depth ....................................... 64 Continue to Prioritize Technical Backgrounds in Accessions, with Pathways for Candidates to Demonstrate Potential in Other Ways .......................................................... 65 Closely Monitor Retention and Be Prepared to Use the Full Spectrum of Retention Tools .... 66 v Ensure Sufficient Agility in Training, Tactics, and Acquisition .............................................. 67 Teach Such Concepts as Warfighting, the Mission, Strategic Thinking, and Operational Planning at All Levels ......................................................................................................... 68 Establish and Communicate a Strategic Vision for the Career Field and Link It to the Tactical-Level Work ........................................................................................................... 68 Establish a Forum Through Which to Collect Innovative Ideas for Managing the Cyber Career Field ........................................................................................................................