gineering professionals to develop and deliver 
operational capabilities and employ modern 
business practices. 
(2) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, ‘‘digital engineering’’ is the discipline and set 
of skills involved in the creation, processing, trans-
mission, integration, and storage of digital data (in-
cluding but not limited to data science, machine 
learning, software engineering, software product 
management, and artificial intelligence product man-
agement). 
(b) RESPONSIBILITY.— 
(1) APPOINTMENT
OF
OFFICER.—Not later 
than 270 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Defense shall appoint a civilian 
official responsible for the development and imple-
mentation of the policy set forth in subsection (a). 
The official shall be known as the ‘‘Chief Digital En-
gineering Recruitment and Management Officer of 
the Department of Defense’’ (in this section referred 
to as the ‘‘Officer’’). 
(2) EXPIRATION OF APPOINTMENT.—The ap-
pointment of the Officer under paragraph (1) shall 
expire on September 30, 2029. 
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(c) DUTIES.—In developing and providing for the dis-
charge of the policy set forth in subsection (a), the Officer 
shall work with the Assistant Secretaries of the military 
departments for Manpower and Reserve Affairs to carry 
out the following: 
(1) Develop for, and enhance within, the re-
cruitment programs of each Armed Force various 
core initiatives, programs, activities, and mecha-
nisms, tailored to the unique needs of each Armed 
Force, to identify and recruit civilian employees and 
members of the Armed Forces with demonstrated 
aptitude, interest, and proficiency in digital engi-
neering, and in science, technology, engineering, and 
mathematics (STEM) generally, including initiatives, 
programs, activities, and mechanisms to target pop-
ulations of individuals not typically aware of oppor-
tunities in the Department of Defense for a digital 
engineering career. 
(2) Identify and share with the military depart-
ments best practices around the development of 
flexible career tracks and identifiers for digital engi-
neering and related digital competencies and mean-
ingful opportunities for career development, talent 
management, and promotion within such career 
tracks. 
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(3) Develop and maintain education, training, 
doctrine, rotational opportunities, and professional 
development activities to support the civilian and 
military digital engineering workforce. 
(4) Coordinate and synchronize digital force 
management activities throughout the Department 
of Defense, advise the Secretary of Defense on all 
matters pertaining to the health and readiness of 
digital forces, convene a Department-wide executive 
steering group, and submit to Congress an annual 
report on the readiness of digital forces and progress 
toward achieving the policy set forth in subsection 
(a). 
(5) Create a Department-wide mechanism to 
track digital expertise in the workforce, develop and 
maintain organizational policies, strategies, and 
plans sufficient to build, maintain, and refresh inter-
nal capacity at scale, and report to the Secretary 
quarterly on the health and readiness the digital en-
gineering workforce. 
(6) Assist the military departments in design-
ing, developing, and executing programs and incen-
tives to retain, track, and oversee digital expertise 
among civilian employees of the Department and 
members of the Armed Forces on active duty. 
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(7) At the request of the Chief of Staff of an 
Armed Force, or the head of another component or 
element of the Department, undertake an executive 
search for key leadership positions in digital engi-
neering in such Armed Force, component, or ele-
ment, and develop and deploy agile hiring processes 
to fill such positions. 
(8) Identify necessary changes in authorities, 
policies, resources, or a combination thereof to fur-
ther the policy set forth in subsection (a), and sub-
mit to Congress a report on such changes. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.—Not later than May 1, 
2020, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Com-
mittees on Armed Services of the House of Representa-
tives and the Senate a plan to carry out the requirements 
of this section. The plan shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of progress of the Secretary 
in recruiting an individual to serve as the Officer re-
quired to be appointed under subsection (b). 
(2) A timeline for implementation of the re-
quirements of this section, including input from each 
military department on its unique timeline. 
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(3) Recommendations for any legislative or ad-
ministrative action required to meet the require-
ments of this section. 
Æ 
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