Transforming the Force: U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence and Augusta University expand partnership to recruit and retain top cyber talent
Fort Gordon, Ga. – In a major step supporting the Army’s strategic priorities of recruitment, retention, and force transformation, service members stationed at Fort Gordon and around the world will have more opportunities to apply military training toward graduate degrees in cybersecurity and intelligence through a renewed partnership between the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence (CCoE) and Augusta University (AU).
U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Ryan Janovic, and Augusta University, President Russell T. Keen, signed a memorandum of understanding on July 7 to continue their strategic partnership. This agreement provides more opportunities for service members to receive degree credit for military training through Augusta University and AU Online, creating a powerful incentive for soldiers to build long-term careers within the Army.
The partnership began in 2016 and expanded in 2023 when the CCoE and AU established pathways allowing eligible military training to count toward academic credit in select graduate programs. The 2026 agreement renews and further expands those opportunities, acting as a key tool for recruiting ambitious talent seeking elite education while serving their country.
"Military service requires extraordinary commitment, discipline, leadership and a heart to serve,” Keen said. “The men and women who serve our nation gain invaluable knowledge and experience throughout their careers and this agreement recognizes the value of what they’ve already accomplished.”
Nearly 1,800 military-connected students are part of the AU community, including 870 who use military education benefits. They have also been recognized as a Military Friendly School since 2016.
By streamlining the educational pipeline, the initiative directly boosts retention efforts. “It’s a simple idea, but it's an important one,” Keen added. “Recognize excellence, remove unnecessary duplication and help talented leaders continue serving in new ways.”
The agreement expands pathways into graduate programs offered through AU’s School of Computer and Cyber Sciences and Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Programs include the Master of Science in Cybersecurity Management and Technology; the Master of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies (MAISS), including its Technical Intelligence Analysis Concentration; and the PhD in Intelligence, Defense and Cybersecurity Policy.
Maj. Gen. Janovic pointed to Maj. Nelson Godbolt, a senior instructor at the U.S. Army Cyber School who earned his master’s degree through the MAISS program, as a prime example of how investing in soldier education retains top talent and drives the Army's transformation.
“He arrived in the halls of Augusta University and felt a new sense of culture and different ideas,” Janovic said. "The promise is that together we will work in new ways to solve problems that can be foreseen and those that are not yet apparent in the defense of cybersecurity and in the intelligence fields.”
While the agreement creates tangible benefits for service members pursuing graduate education, Janovic noted its greatest value extends beyond academic credit – it is fundamentally about transforming how the Army operates in the modern battlespace.
“The benefit that is derived is not in how many credit hours did they get,” Janovic said. “These transactional things are very important, but in my mind the important aspect is a combination of cultures, the combination of ideas, different ways of thinking about problem solving and allowing all of us to attain new levels of accomplishment so that we can contribute to the nation’s defense in a more powerful way.”
AU is the only institution in Georgia to hold both the National Center of Academic Excellence designations in Cyber Defense and Cyber Operations from the National Security Agency. This places it among an elite group of institutions nationwide preparing the next generation of cyber professionals, Keen said, making the Army a highly attractive option for prospective recruits.
“Augusta University has intentionally built one of the nation’s premier cybersecurity education programs,” Keen said. “Today, more than 1,000 students are studying computer science and cybersecurity with guidance from more than 40 faculty members, growth that reflects both the demand for these careers and our commitment to preparing the workforce that our nation needs.”
This partnership also facilitates advanced pathways into Augusta University’s premier doctoral program in Intelligence, Defense, and Cybersecurity Policy. This unique PhD track combines intelligence studies and national security policy, ensuring senior military leaders develop deep expertise in U.S. strategy, doctrine, and ethics to out-pace the threat and secure our nation’s technical and intellectual advantage.
Ultimately, the renewed agreement reflects AU’s commitment to recognize the knowledge and leadership service members already possess while creating new opportunities for them to expand their impact. By prioritizing the ongoing development of its soldiers, the Army ensures it remains a modern, highly capable force.
| Date Taken: | 07.16.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.20.2026 10:26 |
| Story ID: | 570306 |
| Location: | AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 43 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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