WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Pentagon and the Office of Personnel Management introduced the War Force initiative on Tuesday. The program seeks to recruit hundreds of software engineers for two-year assignments within the Department of Defense.

War Force operates under the Office of Personnel Management's Tech Force program, which began in December 2025 to onboard technology and cybersecurity professionals across federal agencies. Recruits will work on implementing the Department of Defense's AI Acceleration Strategy, guidance for which was released in January 2026. The positions will involve working with frontier artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation, and scaling new software tools.

Most War Force positions will be based in Washington, D.C. Candidates interested in these roles must be able to hold a top-secret security clearance. Job applications for War Force will be accepted through July 10, 2026.

The Tech Force program offers annual salaries ranging from $150,000 to $200,000 for an initial two-year term. The program does not require a fixed amount of work experience or a traditional degree from applicants. "War Force is a call to action for patriotic forward-deployed engineers who want to serve their country and the warfighter," said Defense Department Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael.

Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor commented on the initiative in a podcast interview. "War Force builds on the momentum of Tech Force by connecting outstanding engineers with opportunities to solve complex challenges alongside the War Department." Kupor noted that the program may include CEO fireside chats, networking events, coding training and certificates, and other opportunities.

Why It Matters

The launch of the War Force initiative represents an effort to integrate advanced technological expertise into the Department of Defense. By recruiting software engineers, the Pentagon aims to accelerate the implementation of its AI Acceleration Strategy, a key component of its modernization efforts. This strategy, outlined in January 2026, focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation. The initiative's structure, offering two-year assignments and competitive salaries through the existing Tech Force program, reflects an approach to attract specialized talent to federal service without traditional hiring requirements.