1. This message will expire on 31 December 2027.
2. The purpose of this message is a call for the Computer Network Operations Development Program (CNODP) class of 2030. This is an opportunity for a select group of very technically inclined individuals to develop capabilities and tools required for Computer Network Operations (CNO) and to thereby develop their skills in the areas of secure system design, vulnerability analysis, Computer Network Defense (CND), and Computer Network Exploitation (CNE). The goal of the program is to develop a cadre of technical leaders and senior developers who will improve the CNO capabilities of the Department of War (DOW) and Army.
3. The expected start date for the next class is 06 July 2027, and participants will be assigned to Fort Meade, Maryland. The program is a technically demanding three-year tour and is followed by a three-year utilization tour upon graduation as a developer within the Cyber Solutions Development Detachment (CSD) that runs concurrent with the six-year active-duty service obligation (ADSO).
a. In accordance with AR 350-100, para. 2-5(e), officers reassigned to W6UX03, 780th MI BDE, INSCOM/ARCYBER for the CNODP incur a 6-year ADSO. The ADSO is incurred on the report date to W6UX03, whether or not in conjunction with a PCS, and is concurrent with any other ADSO.
b. The first three months of the program (July through October 2027) are mandatory core training. Students must be present for the entirety of mandatory core training; participants are not authorized non-emergency absences. The report date will be NLT 24 April 2027 to allow sufficient time for in-processing, orientation, and security clearance verification. All candidates must have a full Top Secret//Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS//SCI) security clearance and current Counter-Intelligence (CI) polygraph before starting the program on 06 July 2027.
4. The CNODP candidates should possess the following desired qualifications:
a. Post-secondary education or equivalent experience in the areas of Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, or Applied Mathematics.
b. Exceptional academic performance and professional accomplishments, as well as demonstrated interest in and ability to perform low level technical hands-on oriented work.
c. Well-developed oral and written communication skills.
d. Working knowledge in one or more telecommunications or computer network disciplines (computer hardware, software, or networks).
e. Previous assignments should include experience in Telecommunications Operations, Computer Network Operations, SIGINT Collection Operations, Information Security (INFOSEC)/Information Assurance, or Research and Development.
f. Demonstrated computer programming skills in C or C++, Python, and Assembly are desired.
g. Selected applicants must possess a TS//SCI security clearance and current CI-polygraph before the class start date of 06 July 2027. Failure to do so may result in delayed admission to the following CNODP class. Should a selected candidate fail to be fully on-boarded and in-processed by the time of report to CNODP, they will be postponed to the next CNODP class and be assigned to CSD-M in the interim period.
5. All Areas of Concentration (AOC) and Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) are eligible to apply. Ranks eligible to apply are: E-5 to E-6; WO1 to CW2; O-2 to O-3. Applicants must be on active duty in the Regular Army. The impact of CNODP on the likelihood of being promoted to the next rank will be considered for every applicant, as will whether the applicant has achieved Basic qualification in the USCYBERCOM Cyberspace Capability Developer work role. Within the officer cohort, applicants must have an appropriate timeline for the completion of a key developmental position for the grade of captain. Senior O-3 applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis due to potential promotion risk. Warrant Officer and NCO applicants will be subject to a review of promotion risk. Enlisted applicants with pending warrant packet are not eligible to apply to CNODP.
6. Officer and Warrant Officer CNODP participants incur an ADSO in accordance with AR 350-100.
7. Enlisted selectees must begin CNODP with at least six years remaining on their current enlistment contract.
8. Graduates of CNODP will serve a three-year utilization tour with a CSD development site. Potential utilization tours assignments include but are not limited to the following development sites: CSD-Maryland (Fort Meade, MD), CSD-Georgia (Fort Gordon, GA), CSD-Texas (Joint Base San Antonio, TX), CSD-Hawaii (Hawaii Cryptologic Center, HI), and CSD-Tactical (Fort Gordon, GA). Failure to qualify as a CCD before graduating CNODP may result in reassignment at needs of the Army.
9. Selection will be based on a thorough review of each application package and an interview with the National Security Agency (NSA) CNODP selection board. The application package should consist of the following:
a. Applicant’s military service record to include Soldier Talent Profile (STP), up to the last three Officer Evaluation Reports (OERs) or Non-Commissioned Officer Evaluation Reports (NCOERs), and school transcripts.
b. Letter of recommendation from the first O-5 commanding officer in the applicant’s Army chain of command.
c. Letter of recommendation from the applicant’s supervisor, instructor, etc. attesting to the applicant’s technical skills and abilities.
d. An optional letter of recommendation at the applicant’s discretion; letters from industry or academia are particularly desirable.
e. A DA Form 4187 signed by the applicant stating an understanding and acceptance of the six-year ADSO upon reassignment specified in paragraphs 3&6.
f. A letter from the applicant (two pages or less) answering the following:
(1) Why do you think that CNODP is the right choice for you? What are the goals that you wish to accomplish in CNODP?
(2) What experience with programming languages do you have? List each programming language and your familiarity with it, how long you coded in it, and the year that you last coded in it. Only include languages for which you have actually written (or substantially modified) code. Include any and all: assembly, hardware-based, low-level, high-level, and scripting languages.
(3) Other than programming language expertise listed above, how does your expertise and training relate to the core fields (Hardware, Software, and Networks)?
(4) Teaming: Describe a positive teaming experience that you have had. Describe your role on the team and how you contributed. You may include experience from work or school.
(5) Technical experience: Describe an unclassified project that best exemplifies your technical development activities and experiences. Tell us the technical details of your contributions to that project, highlighting your strengths and weaknesses. The project can be work, home, or school related.
(6) Self-directed: Give one example of a project where you worked by yourself with very little guidance; briefly describe what you accomplished, how you approached the problem, and why you liked/disliked working in that capacity.
10. Army applicants must submit their applications to 780th Cyber Solutions Development (CSD) leadership at usarmy.meade.780-mi-bde.list.bde-csd-distro@army.mil with the subject “CNODP Class of 2030 Application” NLT 16 September 2026. Applicants are highly encouraged but not required to reach out earlier than the 16 September deadline over email to facilitate earlier coordination and tracking. An info brief will also be held on the CNODP Applicants teams page at a date TBD – use the following code to join for further details: uogvubp. The Army will forward its prioritized list of candidates and applications to the NSA CNODP selection board O/A 2 October 2026.
11. Applicants will be notified O/A 2 October 2026 of whether their application will be forwarded to the NSA selection board. Individuals will be notified in late 2026 or early 2027 whether they will receive an interview by the NSA selection board. Individuals whose application the NSA selects will participate in the interviews by the selection board in the November 2026 to January 2027 time frame. Interviews will be conducted using video teleconferencing whenever possible for nonlocal interviewees. Notification of acceptance into CNODP class of 2030 will occur O/A March 2027.
12. The Army points of contact for this message are MAJ Jason DeCoursey at 443-757-0606 and jason.b.decoursey.mil@army.mil and CPT Aiden Cruz at aiden.s.cruz.mil@army.mil.