Laurie Moe Buckhout will temporarily assume the role of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy. Buckhout, who currently serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy, made the announcement publicly via a professional update on LinkedIn.
This interim appointment comes as the Department awaits Senate confirmation of Katie Sutton, who has been nominated to fill the Assistant Secretary position on a permanent basis.
Buckhout brings decades of military and defense experience to the role. A retired U.S. Army Colonel, she previously served as Chief of Electronic Warfare for the Army and held command and staff assignments ranging from Battalion Commander in Iraq to Presidential Communications Officer at the White House. She is also the founder and former CEO of Corvus Consulting, a defense-focused consulting firm that she successfully scaled and later sold.
In addition to her military and executive background, Buckhout was a Republican candidate for Congress in North Carolina’s First District in 2024 before transitioning back to a senior defense policy role within the Department of Defense.
Since March 2025, Buckhout has led cyber policy formulation and strategic guidance at the Pentagon in her role as Deputy Assistant Secretary. The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy is responsible for integrating national cyberspace policy with Department of Defense priorities, overseeing cyber-related international engagements, and guiding the employment and development of cyberspace capabilities and strategy.
Buckhout earned a Bachelor of Science degree from James Madison University, a Masters of Military Arts and Science degree from Command and General Staff College, and a Masters of Science in Information Systems Management degree from Webster University. She has also received numerous awards, such as the Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), and several awards of Joint and Army Commendation and Achievement Medals.
