The War Department has partnered with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to attract hundreds of top engineers to “enhance American military technological dominance.”
In a joint statement on June 30, the Pentagon said it is starting the War Force initiative to recruit “exceptional” software engineers as part of the OPM’s Tech Force program.
“America’s national security depends on attracting the best technical talent to some of government’s most important missions,” Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor said.
The initiative will build on the momentum of the Tech Force, which was introduced in December 2025, by giving engineers opportunities to solve challenges and engage in “meaningful technical work,” Kupor said.
Engineers will work to integrate advanced technologies, such as automation, frontier artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data systems, and will design and maintain software to support the military’s operational needs.
The joint statement said the engineers will deliver “tangible results” to “ensure a more lethal United States military.”
“War Force is a call to action for patriotic, forward-deployed engineers who want to serve their country and the warfighter,” said Emil Michael, chief technology officer for the Pentagon.
The hiring campaign comes as the Pentagon’s civilian workforce has declined for more than a year. A Government Accountability Office report released last month showed that the department’s workforce decreased from 778,188 employees in December 2024 to 695,248 employees in January 2026. The report also showed that the Pentagon lost 24,366 technical employees by the end of fiscal year 2025.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memorandum in March 2025 to realign the size of the department’s civilian workforce and restructure it to “supercharge” U.S. warfighters.
“The net effect will be a reduction in the number of civilian full-time equivalent positions, and increased resources in the areas where we need them most,” Hegseth said.
He said that the goal is a force that is “lean, mean, and prepared to win.”
The Tech Force was created to recruit software engineers and technology leaders to help “modernize the federal government,” according to the OPM. The program, which will now include the Pentagon’s new War Force initiative, aims to hire more than 1,000 technology specialists.
Those hired will participate in a two-year program that will include addressing the “most complex and large-scale civic and defense challenges,” according to the Tech Force’s website. The initiative seeks individuals with skills in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, software engineering, technical project management, and data analytics.
The Pentagon’s Office of the Chief Information Officer also launched its Cyber Apprenticeship Program on July 6 to develop and employ cyber professionals within the War Department. The 12-month paid program does not require applicants to have prior professional cyber experience.
“To maintain our decisive advantage and support the warfighter on the modern battlefield, the Department of War must recruit differently,” said Kirsten Davies, War Department chief information officer.
Davies said the Cyber Apprenticeship Program follows President Donald Trump and Hegseth’s mandate to promote skills-based hiring and encourages traits such as “patriotic drive” and “raw aptitude.”
