Colby approves Pentagon policy for ‘cyber operations-peculiar’ monetary awards
Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby approved a departmentwide instruction that went into effect this week and details how the Pentagon will award action-based financial bonuses to innovative cyber warriors.
The directive, approved on Sept. 30 and effective Oct. 5, establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures for the “Cyber Operations-Peculiar Awards” program authorized by Section 1124a of Title 10 U.S.C.
The COPA initiative allows for the issuance of cash bonuses up to $2,500 to eligible troops to “recognize exceptional contributions rooted in novel actions, inventions, or technical achievements that significantly enhance DoW cyberspace operations capabilities,” the instruction noted, using an acronym to refer to the Department of War, the Trump administration’s preferred name for the Department of Defense. “The basis for an award must be a specific, observable outcome, not sustained performance, which other awards already recognize.”
Per the guidance, award nominations can be made for innovative efforts that boost “offensive cyberspace operations against adversary systems or networks” in support of combatant commander objectives or national security goals; defend “friendly cyberspace” from malicious activity; harden, extend, or improve the security and resilience of the department’s information network; or find and “neutralize” a previously unknown “advanced persistent threat” via a clever “threat hunting” technique or procedure.
Notably, the pool of potential awardees is not restricted to personnel assigned to U.S. Cyber Command. It includes “covered” service members who are part of the military’s “cyberspace operations forces” and whose achievements meet the criteria laid out in the policy edict. Troops must have been on “active duty, in active status, in active service, in active Guard and Reserve Duty, or on full-time National Guard duty” when their exceptional action, invention, or technical achievement occurred.
According to the instruction, a service member’s military grade or rank won’t affect their program eligibility or the dollar value of the award that they may receive.
The COPA program is “separate from (and in addition to) other military decorations, ribbons, or civilian awards for which the Service member may be eligible,” the guidance noted.
The assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy, a role currently held by Katie Sutton, will oversee the COPA initiative.
DOD component heads are tasked with developing component-specific procedures for award nomination and processing. The civilian leaders of the military departments are authorized to designate “appropriate approval authorities” within their respective departments.
“Awards may be paid from funds or appropriations available to the activity primarily benefiting from the novel action, invention, or technical achievement, or from several funds of various benefiting activities as determined by the paying authority,” per the directive.
The COPA policy aims to avoid double dipping.
“Consistent with Volume 451 of DoDI 1400.25, awards under this section are not authorized if a monetary award under that volume has already been paid for the same contribution, and approving officials must ensure that the same invention is not paid twice under both authorities,” the instruction noted, adding that only one award is authorized for a qualifying achievement, regardless of the number of individuals who contributed.
The bonuses will also be subject to applicable IRS tax rules.
