1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

Dear Senators and Representative, I am writing to you today as a constituent from Rochester, New York, to submit a critical policy proposal regarding the future of our nation's military readiness, force structure, and cyber defense capabilities. As Congress works through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) legislative cycle, lawmakers must confront a reality that national security experts and cyber commanders have repeatedly warned about: the current fragmented model of generating cyber operators across separate military services is failing to produce the personnel required to counter peer threats in digital warfare. 1. Why the Army-Hosted Cyber Force Failed & Why the Air Force Model Works During the Senate Armed Services Committee markup of the FY2027 NDAA, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand championed a landmark amendment to create a dedicated U.S. Cyber Force. While that proposal narrowly failed by a single vote (14-13), the close tally demonstrated bipartisan recognition on Capitol Hill that the status quo is unsustainable. However, the primary structural vulnerability of that proposal was its placement under the Department of the Army. The Army is fundamentally structured around land domain control, heavy maneuver logistics, and large-scale troop movements. Trying to nest a high-tech, digital-first cyber branch within Army infrastructure creates institutional friction. Instead, Congress should adopt the proven framework established by the United States Space Force: The Department of the Air Force Framework: When Congress passed the FY2020 NDAA establishing the Space Force, it deliberately placed the new branch within the Department of the Air Force. This model provided the Space Force with an established, tech-centric administrative foundation without saddling it with traditional ground-combat bureaucracy. The Cyber Force Solution: Establishing the United States Cyber Force within the Department of the Air Force leverages an existing service department already oriented around advanced technological warfare, signal processing, and domain dominance—providing a far more natural home for digital warfare. 2. Modernizing Medical Accession Standards (DoDI 6130.03) for Digital Billets Equally important to how we organize the Cyber Force is who we allow to serve in it. Under current Department of Defense medical accession regulations (DoD Instruction 6130.03), qualified Americans face blanket automatic medical disqualifications based on physical, visual, or auditory disabilities—including total blindness or deafness. While rigid physical deployability standards are necessary for traditional infantry or field combat roles, applying these same physical disqualifications to keyboard-based, non-combat cyber operations deprives national security agencies of world-class technical talent. In digital warfare, operational success relies entirely on cognitive acuity, technical mastery, and strategic analysis. Modern assistive technology—such as high-speed screen readers, tactile braille interfaces, and visual transcription systems—allows visually and hearing-impaired cyber specialists to execute complex technical tasks at peak performance. Congress must include statutory language in the NDAA directing the Secretary of Defense to establish specialized, non-discriminatory accession standards for digital cyber billets that evaluate applicants on technical proficiency rather than physical combat attributes. 3. Requested Legislative Actions I respectfully urge our New York Delegation to introduce and support joint NDAA provisions that: Authorize the Creation of the U.S. Cyber Force as a uniformed service branch housed under the Department of the Air Force (structured similarly to the U.S. Space Force). Direct a Overhaul of DoDI 6130.03 to eliminate categorical physical disqualifications (including blindness and deafness) for non-combat, specialized digital cyber operations. Establish a Specialized Medical Waiver & Accession Pathway for qualified individuals with physical disabilities applying to serve in cyber operational roles. Thank you for your leadership and dedication to the national defense and economic future of Upstate New York. I look forward to your response regarding this vital policy initiative.