Including the Army National Guard Cyber Forces into the definition of the Department of Defense Cyber Operations Forces (DOD COF) would significantly improve training, resourcing, and mission opportunities. The 2022 NDAA granted USCYBERCOM Enhanced Budget Control (EBC), which provides direct control and management of planning, programming, budgeting and execution of the resources to maintain the cyber mission force. Army Guard cyber forces cannot benefit from USCYBERCOMS EBC and will be challenged in receiving resources as the outlier in cyber forces. All other branches and compos are included in the definition of DOD COF, and resources are planned and programed through the USCYBERCOM EBC except Army Guard cyber. The Army Guard is structured in line with other services and compos, meets readiness levels, and participates in title 10 mobilizations alongside counterparts from other services and compos. The Army Guard resourcing should be aligned. As an example, excluding the Army Guard from the DOD COF goes against the Army's Total Force mentality and the USCYBERCOM's intent that Cyber Protection Teams (CPTs) should be able to function as a CPT, regardless of service or compo.

The 2023 NDAA directs the review of Definitions Associated with Cyberspace Operations Forces (Sec 1557, page 1333) NLT 120 days post bill enactment, SECDEF, acting through the OSD PCA, and the Principal Cyber Advisors of the military departments shall review the 12 December 2019 memo concerning the definition of the term “Department of Defense Cyberspace Operations Forces” (DOD COF). The review will also include the responsibilities of the Commander of USCYBERCOM as the Cyberspace Joint Force Provider and Cyberspace Joint Force Trainer, with the respect to forces included and excluded from the COF and will update the memo and, as appropriate, update such responsibilities.