Pre-Commissioning Information

OVERVIEW

The Army Cyber Institute is committed to contributing to the development and support of future cyber leaders. In support of this commitment, ACI highlights the following events and programs for those individuals interested in serving their country while pursuing an interest in cybersecurity.

CYBER LEADERS CONFERENCE

The West Point Class of 1970 Cyber Leaders Conference is an annual event that brings ROTC and West Point cadets selected for the cyber branch together with experienced cyber personnel from across the Army. During this two-day event, junior officers, warrant officers, and NCOs share their experiences with the cadets. It provides cadets a greater understanding of the cyber branch and the challenges they will face as new 2LTs.

The event is funded by a generous endowment from the West Point Class of 1970 and run by the Army Cyber Institute. It typically occurs in late January with cadets receiving instructions shortly after being selected for the cyber branch. Active duty personnel interested in participating (E5-7, WO1-CW3, and O1-O3) should volunteer through their unit or contact ACI. Participants are usually identified in November and early December.

Link to January 2024's CLC

CYBER LEADER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

OVERVIEW

Joint Publication 3-12 states that Cyberspace consists of many overlapping networks and can be described in three layers: the physical network, the logical network, and the cyber-persona layer. The Cyber Leader Development Program (CLDP) grew out of a need to recognize and identify junior officers with an academic background applicable to Cyberspace.

The CLDP prescribes a framework of cyber-related activities, outside the traditional classroom environment, and recognizes Cadets with the C1 Skill Identifier upon completion of the program. This skill identifier will enable the Army to effectively identify Officers across branches who have an academic background in cyber related technologies and experiences.

GOALS

The Goal of the Cyber Leader Development Program is to create a framework for cyber enrichment and extracurricular opportunities to holistically develop, grow, and inspire emerging Army leaders to succeed in the technical domain of cyberspace. This program is not specific to the Cyber Branch, it helps the Army grow capacity in all branches and will assist with building cyber leaders for the Nation.

Cadets who complete the program will have demonstrated their sustained interest in the Cyber domain. Including their participation in an academic conference, a major design project, and significant coursework that ensures identified junior Officers have a better understanding of the complexities of the domain including both its strengths and its challenges.

WHAT IS A SKILL IDENTIFIER?

Skill identifiers (SI) are a component of the Army’s officer classification system. Specifically, these two-character codes are used to identify a skill required for a specific position in requirements and authorization documents. SIs identify specialized occupational areas that are not normally related to one particular branch, but may require significant education, training, or experience. Successful completion of the CLDP program will award an officer with the C1 skill identify for the remainder of their career.

Full information on the Army’s skill identify system is available in DA PAM 611-21

REQUIREMENTS

Coursework

Cyber-related Major or Minor in the following disciplines:
- Computer Science
- Information Technology
- Electrical Engineering
- Systems Engineering
- Math
- Cybersecurity
Otherwise five or more courses in the following topics:
- Computer Programming
- Computer Networking
- Cryptography
- Discrete Mathematics
- Cybersecurity

Citizenship

Be a U.S. Citizen
Be eligible for a Top Secret security clearance

Internship

Participation in a cyber-related internship lasting three weeks or more
- The local PMS is asked to verify that a given internship is related to cyber. If the primary duties of the cadet during their internship are tied to any major aspect of cybersecurity from secure code development, to network operations, research and development then it meets this objective.

Club Participation

Participation in a Cybersecurity club or study group for two academic years
Examples
- ACM SIGSAC
- Local capture the flag team
- Hacker/Makerspace group with some security elements

Conference Attendance

Attend a multi-day Cybersecurity training event or conference
Examples
- Attend a week long industry training course (3-5 days)
- Attend a major academic conference related to security (USENIX, IEEE, ACM, etc)
- Attend a major industry conference related to security (CyCON, BlackHat, DEFCON, etc)

Project or Capstone

Participate in a significant Cybersecurity project or capstone
Examples
- Senior Design project with a significant security element
- Major Club related project with security elements

PARTICIPATION

Cadets can participate in the program in two ways:

With mentorship (recommended for underclassmen)	Without mentorship
The cadet’s PMS should email register.cldp@westpoint.edu with the following information: Name Cadet School Email School Major Expected Graduation Mon/Year The PMS will then be sent an email address for themselves and the cadet to use to speak with a cohort of Cyber officers on all topics related to Cyber.	Intended for upperclassmen who have met program requirements prior to learning about CLDP Cadets should complete all requirements as described on this page and then submit a complete packet No additional registration is required

PACKET SUBMISSION

CLDP Packet Submission

Cadets who have completed the CLDP program must submit an ASI request packet to the Army Cyber Institute. The completed packet must contain all documents noted on the Packet Checklist. Once verified for completeness, the packet will be approved by the Director of the ACI and returned to the Cadet with a certificate indicating the award of the C1 ASI.

PACKET CHECKLIST

DA4187	Completed Endorsement Memo	ASI Request Worksheet
Block 9 - Signed by Cadet Block 13 - Signed by PMS (ROTC) / CRC (USMA)	Signed by PMS (ROTC) / Mentor (USMA)	Block 20.B - Signed by Cadet Block 20.D - Signed by PMS (ROTC) / CRC (USMA)

*The Cadet progress chart is not required for packet submission. It is intended as a tool for tracking progress throughout the program, and to support the creation of the Cadet’s endorsement memo.

Completed packets should be submitted to packet.cldp@westpoint.edu for review and approval NLT 45 days prior to graduation.