The U.S. Department of Defense Manual 8140.03 (DoDM 8140.03) has shifted gears. It was announced in February of 2023 and has myriad goals, as outlined in my earlier blog about how organizations are putting DoDM 8140.03 to work. Two goals are diversity and the ability to support the ever-expanding needs of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the military.
It’s been exciting to see organizations worldwide placing DoDM 8140.03-approved courses into practical learning pathways. The key to these pathways is where organizations are empowered to create their own unique learning steps based on operational needs. The new way to view compliance is to focus on the requirements of the organization that needs to move forward with new technology or needs to be protected in a novel way.
What CompTIA courses have been approved (so far)?
As of today, eight CompTIA certifications have been approved for the DoDM 8140.03. To see which CompTIA certs align with certain job roles, along with their descriptions and proficiency levels, visit our interactive chart.
- CompTIA A+
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA Cloud+
- CompTIA PenTest+
- CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+)
- CompTIA SecurityX (Formerly CASP+)
- CompTIA Linux+
If you look at it from a DoDM 8140.03 perspective, the above training and certification offerings cover 31 different work roles. But those numbers are going to change soon. In the future, be on the lookout for courses that we will be offering to meet those demands.
Who is teaching DoDM 8140.03-approved courses right now?
It’s still early in the implementation stage, of course, but the answer is many. CompTIA-authorized delivery partners in the U.S. and globally have been helping organizations upskill their workers through the above courses. Schoolhouses on U.S. military bases around the world are creating pathways. Cryptological schools, signaling schools, and partner governments internationally are also creating pathways. Individuals are creating their learning pathways to keep their certifications current.
Keeping track of DoDM 8140.03
If you are running an upskilling program, there’s a resource that you can view to stay updated. Point your browser to the U.S. DoD Cyber Workforce Qualifications Matrices Management page, which is on the U.S. DoD Cyber Exchange site. This page lists all of the resources that are currently approved. If you scroll down on the page, you can download the latest information.
There are two documents that the DoDM 8140.03 will keep updated on a regular basis:
- Information Technology (IT) Workforce Element and DCWF Training Repository Matrix: This matrix focuses on job roles that are traditionally considered infrastructure and IT-oriented rather than on specific cybersecurity job roles.
- Cybersecurity (CS) Workforce Element and DCWF Training Repository Matrix: This matrix focuses on roles that would traditionally be classified as cybersecurity.
I highly recommend that you bookmark this page and keep it handy. The DoDM 8140.03 program will add more qualification matrices in the coming months. Possible matrices may likely include those about “cyber effects” (e.g., the intended and unintended results of cybersecurity activities), AI, data analytics, and others.
Also, check out the DoDM 8140.03 Qualification and Training Repository page. If you go there, you’ll find documents that outline the job roles in each work element. These documents are the authoritative references for all approved certifications and training.
Looking to get the latest information about DoDM 8140.03? Check out the above web pages, and then watch our on-demand session, Navigating and Implementing DoD 8140: A Comprehensive Discussion, to learn more.