What is DoD Manual 8140?

The U.S. Department of Defense Manual 8140.03 (DoDM 8140.03), released in February 2023, is part of the Department of Defense’s cybersecurity workforce management framework. It’s related to the DoD’s Cyber Workforce Development Program and provides guidance on cyber workforce roles, training requirements, and qualifications. DoDM 8140.03 replaces DoD Directive 8570.01-M.

What Is The Goal Of DoDM 8140.03?

DoDM 8140.03 aims to provide a qualification standard focused on an individual’s capability in performing the required functions of their job role. In doing so, 8140.03 offers a larger catalog of training and certification options to achieve compliance across their 72 defined job roles, compared to the DoD 8570.01-M. Job roles are grouped under the following broader workforce elements:

• IT (Cyberspace)
• Cybersecurity
• Cyberspace Effects
• Intelligence (Cyberspace)
• Cyberspace Enablers
• Software Engineering
• Data/AI

How To Get DoD 8140 Certified

Every work role under DoDM 8140.03 provides a listing of Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Tasks (KSATs) an individual should meet for compliance within that job functions. Qualifying these KSATs can occur through a number of ways including:

• Earning a degree from a designated institution
• Completing DoD/Military or Commercial Training
• Achieving industry certification
• Relevant work experience
• On-the-job qualification or environmental-specific requirements

To learn which KSATs you need to achieve, find and select your work role on the DoD Elements Map. Once you open the specific work role, you will find a listing of the Core and Additional KSATs for that role. You may also find a Qualification Matrix, such as the one below, which identifies the pre-approved Basic, Intermediate and Advanced qualification options for that work role.

Which Industry Certifications Qualify Job Roles Under DoD 8140?

While every job role has its own qualifications listings, the following certifications have been pre-approved for some job roles as of November 18, 2024:

When Does DoD 8140 Take Effect?

By February 2025, all DoD civilian employees and military service members in DCWF work roles under the cybersecurity workforce element must be qualified in accordance with DoDM 8140.03.