The Army is rolling out its “bring your own device” policy today. The first of two phases of a pilot program is “a notion that, as recently as a few years ago, would have seemed like a pipe dream because of various legal, policy and cybersecurity concerns,” as Federal News Network reported.

“I can access everything that I need – my emails, Microsoft Office, Teams – I’ve experimented with every app and capability that I would use on my government device,” the National Guard’s chief information officer, Kenneth McNeill, told Federal News Network after switching to his personal device.

It’s all possible because of cloud storage solutions implemented during the first two years of the pandemic. Despite DOD’s advances to make this a reality, a big factor is how it feels for service members.

“It really matters how soldiers and airmen view this user experience, and that’s what we’re trying to get at,” McNeill said. “We think the technology is secure — we have all of that. But if the user thinks it’s not quite right, we have to adjust.”

Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne