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The US Department of War, the new name for the Department of Defense, is reducing the mandatory frequency of cybersecurity training for service members.
The controversial move, outlined in a memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is part of a wider effort to eliminate what the department considers “distractions” and refocus troops on their core combat mission.
The memo confirms the department is “committed to enabling our warfighters to focus on their core mission of fighting and winning our Nation’s wars without distraction.” As a result, mandatory training must be “directly linked to warfighting or otherwise be consolidated, reduced in frequency, or eliminated.”
This directive also applies to Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) training and eliminates Privacy Act training entirely from the common military list.
The department is deprioritising cybersecurity training under the belief that reducing non-essential courses will improve military readiness and lethality. Hegseth is directing military departments to automate information management systems to “eliminate training requirements,” suggesting a future reliance on automated systems over individual vigilance.
However, the decision is facing strong criticism from cybersecurity experts and former military officials. Retired Navy Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery called the policy “more like theatrics and less like readiness,” arguing that the cyber domain is the “number one attack surface” used by adversaries like China against the US military.
Experts warn that relaxing training is “extremely shortsighted” and “undermines our national security,” especially given the increasing number of digital intrusions targeting US military and infrastructure and the significant cyber components seen in recent conflicts.
They contend that cutting back training on vigilance and risk management could lead to increased risks being felt for years to come.
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