The next iteration of the National Security Act of 1947 should reflect the growing importance of cybersecurity. In the past, the establishment of the Merchant Marine Academy in 1943 and the Air Force Academy in 1954 were clear reactions to threats experienced during World War II. Now, with cybersecurity becoming an increasingly important national security concern, the government should consider investing in a service academy that focus on training people to meet these demands.
To an outsider, the current service academies seem poorly equipped to attract and train talented programmers. Given that many of their operations would take place from behind a keyboard instead of on a traditional battlefield, it seems prudent to have a different selection process and different curriculum to ensure a consistent supply of talent. The best way to do this is to setup a new institution.