Is the certification called CISSP worth the time and money to earn it?

If you see yourself as a career cyber security guy, then yes. Keep in mind that I t is a very difficult cert to get, even for people who do it for a living.If you don’t have it already, start with Sec+ and work your way up to more difficult certs.

As an IT Recruiter in the "real" world, I will tell you ABSOLUTELY. Certifications are extremely necessary in the civilian job world.

Sort of depends... What do you intend on doing for a career in cyber? Do you plan on becoming management? Do you wish to remain technical and more hands on? Are certifications necessary for the jobs you intend to have? By that I mean specific to standards such as the DoD's? I ask that because when it comes to being certified for the current DoDI 8570 for both IAT and IAM Level 3, CISSP covers most everything, as far as they are concerned. That said, it does not always cover the knowledge base you actually need for certain jobs. For example, if you intend to be a cyber analyst (forensics, pen tester, etc) and never get into security management, CISSP isn't really necessary. On the other hand, like a Master's Degree, it can help you garner a higher salary.

I usually recommend to cyber professionals to get the certification, and make it a priority to maintain. Especially if you are able to get someone to send you to the boot camp and/or even pay for the exam. Even if you believe all you'll ever want to do is hands-on technical work, we all change as we get older. If you feel like it's too much for now, consider getting into a position where they might be willing to send you to classes and pay for the exam (I believe GI Bill will cover the cost of the exam).