The U.S. Senate has confirmed Michael Sulmeyer as the first cyber policy chief of the Department of Defense.
In this new role, Sulmeyer will lead the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy, established in March as mandated by the fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. He will oversee cyber policy development across the DOD.
The confirmation comes just two days after the Senate Armed Services Committee advanced Sulmeyer’s nomination to the Senate floor for a vote.
Sulmeyer most recently served as the principal cyber adviser for the U.S. Army, where he gave counsel to military leaders on all matters of cyber such as readiness and capabilities. He also held the position of director of the rapid vulnerability review at the Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense and senior adviser to the head of the U.S. Cyber Command.
Before entering the government sector, Sulmeyer led the Cybersecurity Project at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. He also taught at the University of Texas School of Law.
In July, Republican Sen. Mike Rounds, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s cyber panel, said Sulmeyer has the “character, competence and experience” needed to address cyber threats the nation will face in the future.