DoW CIO Kirsten Davies

I’d like to thank my Five Eyes CIO counterparts for their hard work and candid discussion during the Defense CIO Forum (#DCIOF) and Combined Digital Leadership Summit (#CDLS). This was my first time leading the US delegation to the CDLS and I appreciate your willingness to roll up your sleeves and continue the work on #ProjectArcadia and so much more. It was especially meaningful for our team on the 250th anniversary of our nation. 🦅 Pictured left to right: - @RossErmelAC , Assistant Deputy Minister – Digital Services, Canada 🇨🇦 - Brigadier Esther Harrop, Commander – Information Command, New Zealand 🇳🇿 - @KirstenDavies – Chief Information Officer, Department of War, USA 🇺🇸 - @CharlesForte100 , Defence Chief Information Officer, United Kingdom 🇬🇧 - Chris Crozier, Chief Information Officer, Defense Digital Group, Australia 🇦🇺 A Special congratulations to Ross and Charlie who will be retiring before our fall conference. You have made a difference for Service members in your Armed Forces and throughout the alliance. #FVEY #DigitalDefense #StrongerTogether #America250

Last week, we wrapped up an incredible four days hosting Combined Digital Leadership Summit (#CDLS)! Guided by @SecWar Hegseth’s mandate of "peace through strength," the Five Eyes 🇺🇸🇦🇺🇨🇦🇳🇿🇬🇧nations are united to accelerate innovation and deter aggression. We’ve moved beyond theory into action. #ProjectArcadia is our operational imperative. By pooling allied resources, we are sprinting to build a unified Common Operating Picture (COP) at a speed legacy networks simply can't match. We are learning by doing, together. Honored to pass the taonga (Māui's hook) to my Australian counterpart ahead of the November summit in Sydney, and to present them with an Eagle celebrating America's 250th. Wherever this alliance flies next, the U.S. flies with you. 🦅🤝 Read the Press Release: war.gov/News/Releases/… #FVEY #DigitalDefense #StrongerTogether

The Biden administration’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine mandate was wrongfully forced onto our warfighters. It was unjust, and we are doing EVERYTHING we can to make it right.

Pictured from left to right: Brandon Cross and Holly Yuan, University of Wisconsin-Stout; Brian Scavotto, North Carolina A&T; and Amith Kamath Belman, San Jose State University

I am incredibly proud to announce the winners of the ASCEND Challenge awarded Friday at the conclusion of NCAE-C Symposium in Pittsburgh! Congratulations to our brilliant winners: Holly Yuan and Brandon Cross from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Brian Scavotto from North Carolina A&T, and Amith Kamath Belman from San Jose State University. Their innovative educational models for AI and cybersecurity will serve as a critical blueprint for our future. This is how we build the Arsenal of Freedom! 🦅 By empowering our academic partners and rapidly scaling these curriculums, we are building a decisive cyber workforce and ensuring we deliver on @POTUS’ vision of a Golden Age of innovation and prosperity. The future of our national security is exceptionally bright! 🇺🇸 💻 Building our arsenal of talent starts now! Read more about the winners and our initiatives: dowcio.war.gov/In-the-News/Ar… #CAESymposium #Cybersecurity #AI #Cyber #DowCyberWorkforce #ASCENDChallenge

Pictured left to right in the Listening Room: Michael Tu, university of Purdue NW University; Dr. Eman El-Sheikh, University of West Florida; Scott Nelson, acting PD CEAO; Adel Elmaghraby, University of Louisville; and Omar Garada, Dcode.

We are working smarter than ever! Through real-time engagement with the CAE community, we are capturing the insights that matter most, what’s working, where friction exists, and where we must go next. 🎯This is about turning community feedback into action that strengthens our programs and delivers capabilities for the Warfighter. This effort would not be possible without the continued leadership of @SecWar Hegseth, who has prioritized innovation, workforce readiness, and a more responsive approach to building cyber talent. Now, let’s get to work! 🇺🇸 #CAESymposium #DoWCyberWorkforce #Cyber #Cloud #Data

We are working across the Department of War, the whole of government, and directly with academia and industry to deliver on @POTUS' Cyber Strategy for America. 🇺🇸 We designated 28 new universities as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) and are partnering with academia to build an agile Artificial Intelligence curriculum that will strengthen our ability to forge mission-ready cyber warriors and achieve the President’s vision of peace through strength in cyberspace. 👀🏆💪 Read more at: dodcio.defense.gov/In-the-News/Ar… #CAESymposium #DoWCyberWorkforce #CyberStrategyforAmerica #CAEO

"This is how we deliver peace through technical strength." — Honorable Kirsten A. Davies, DoW CIO. The @DeptofWar is accelerating Zero Trust for operational technology. In partnership with @CISAgov, @FBI, @ENERGY, and @StateDept, we have published a comprehensive guide to help OT owners and operators secure critical infrastructure and interconnected weapon systems. Key pillars to secure your environment: 🔎 Asset visibility 🔗 Supply chain risk management 🛡️ Identity and access management 🧱 Layered security and network segmentation Learn how to harden your OT defenses today: go.dhs.gov/iaE #Cybersecurity #ZeroTrust #DoW #CriticalInfrastructure

Clockwise from upper left: Ms. Ayanna Baker (Cyber Human Capital Program Analyst), Mrs. Marci McCarthy (DoW CIO Director of External Engagements), Acting Secretary of Labor The Honorable Keith Sonderling, and Ms. Chimia Nelson (DoW CIO Program Director); Seated: DoL Acting Administrator Office of Apprenticeship Ms Megan Baird, DoL Assistant Secretary of Employment and Training Administration Dr Henry Mack, Acting Secretary of Labor The Honorable Keith E. Sonderling, Mrs. Marci McCarthy, Standing: Ms Ayanna Baker and Ms. Chimia Nelson; Mrs. McCarthy introducing the DoW Cyber RAP; Mrs. McCarthy discussing the importance of Cyber RAP to the DoW; The Honorable Keith Sonderling and Mrs. McCarthy signing the ceremonial documents, Ms. Baker and Ms. Nelson standing in the background.

I am absolutely thrilled to announce the official launch of our new DoW Cyber Registered Apprenticeship Program (#Cyber RAP). During the National Apprenticeship Week signing ceremony, at the Department of Labor yesterday, Mrs. Marci McCarthy, my Director of External Engagements, kicked off the program. Thanks to Acting Secretary Keith Sonderling for hosting this incredible event! 🇺🇸 I would like to thank @realDonaldTrump and @SecWar Hegseth for their leadership. They have consistently championed skills-based hiring and demonstrated technical skills that can deliver for the Warfighter on day-one. At their direction, we are transitioning away from a “degree first” mindset that closes the door to many of our most innovative minds. With Cyber RAP, we are reducing barriers to entry and training a new generation of elite talent to defend our critical networks and weapon systems. We are building the workforce for this Golden Age of innovation and powering the Arsenal of Freedom!💪💻 The future of DoW cyber starts now! Let's get to work! More information can be found at our release: dowcio.war.gov/In-the-News/ @MarciMcCarthyUS #Cloud #NationalApprenticeshipWeek #DoWCyberWorkforce

It was a privilege to join the 71st Siouxland/Washington Conference & Steak Reception this week. I was proud to share a message of collaboration 🤝 with our Senate and Congressional members, as well as the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce. Our partnership across these sectors is vital to our national defense: “Your strength is our warfighter's strength. Your security is our cybersecurity. Your innovation is our warfighter’s innovation.” 🇺🇸 Pictured: •Congressman Randy Feenstra, 4th District, Iowa •Mr. Christopher J. McGowan, President, Siouxland Chamber of Commerce #Cyber #Cybersecurity #Spectrum #Cloud #DoWCyberWorkforce

"Incredibly honored to accept the #Wash100 Award yesterday! 🏆 In @SecWar Hegseth's @DeptofWar, we have ended 'business as usual!' We are moving at the speed of war to deliver capabilities to our Warfighters that are secure and resilient, to provide deterrence against our adversaries and lethal operational impact. The #ArsenalOfFreedom is being unleashed through peace through technical strength!"🇺🇸💻🦅 Hon. Kirsten Davies, DoW CIO #DoWCyberWorkforce #DigitalTransformation

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It was an honor to connect with our vital Defense Industrial Base (DIB) partners at the DC3 Tech Exchange. We have an opportunity unlike any other time in history. We are in a unique moment of transformation at the @DeptofWar, thanks to the leadership of the @POTUS and @SecWar Hegseth. Our security is shared, and together, we are building a modern Arsenal of Freedom to empower and protect our nation's warfighters and ensure peace through strength. #DIB #NationalSecurity #Partnership #Innovation #DC3

I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to Mr. Vishal Aswani for his dedication and leadership as Chief of Staff over the last year. His contributions have been invaluable to our mission. Effective immediately, Vish will take over as our Special Advisor for Transformation amidst our large-scale organizational change and business process re-engineering efforts that are fundamental to building a more agile and effective OCIO for the future. In this role he will help shape the organization as we work to accelerate our ability to deliver the capabilities that will deliver on @SecWar Hegseth's clear direction to make America’s fighting forces the most lethal in the world. #cyber #cloud #IT #JWCC #DoWCyberWorkforce

As we work to meet the vision of @realDonaldTrump, we are driving to prepare networks, data infrastructure and transport capabilities to support @SecWar's vision and direction. To ensure success, I'm announcing that David Vaughn will serve as a Technical Advisor for Data Infrastructure, responsible for providing technical expertise on data and AI infrastructure initiatives. David is a decorated cybersecurity executive and U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 (Cyber) whose nearly three-decade career spans operational cyber warfare, intelligence, and enterprise risk management across the public and private sector. Welcome to the Team David! #cyber #cloud #IT #JWCC #DoWCyberWorkforce