Marine Officer Talent Management: Why the Service Loses its Top Officers and What to Do About it
Abstract
On average approximately 225 officers between the ranks of Captain and Lieutenant Colonel depart the service each year representing approximately 2% of the total population of officers in those grades. While these numbers appear relatively small and do not indicate a tremendous talent drain, a closer look at the talent level of that 2% reveals that the service loses more above average officers than below average officers. This finding closely coincides with a 2015 Center for Naval Analysis (CNA) study that empirically measured talent loss during the first ten years of service of service. The study suggests that while, on average, those that stay are more talented than those that leave, the top 10% of officers are more likely to leave. The Marine Corps recruits some of the best and the brightest officers in the Department of Defense and invests tremendous time, money and energy into its officer corps. This investment enables the Marine Corps to develop superbly effective leaders capable of solving complex problems in time-sensitive environments. The Marine Corps' ability to produce top quality leaders, while impressive, will not sustain the service's future leadership needs alone however. The service must better manage and retain these leaders to ensure the Marine Corps remains ready to respond to crisis and solve the increasingly complex problems of the future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 10, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1177234
Entities
People
- Stephen J. Boada
Organizations
- Marine Corps University