Joint Duty Prerequisite for Promotion to General/Flag Officer
Abstract
The Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 was enacted to put a halt to Service parochialism and improve the warfighting capability of the United States. Congress mandated a series of sweeping policies involving joint officer management (that is Title IV). One of the Title IV provisions was requirement for a Joint Duty Assignment (JDA as a prerequisite for promotion to General/Flag Officer (G/FO) (pay grade 0-7). The study examines the challenges of implementing Joint personnel policies, particularly the integration of a JDA into officer professional development career patterns. Typical career patterns of Army officers leading to selection to G/FO are reviewed and compared to selected Title IV provisions. The study concludes that the requirement for a JDA as a prerequisite for promotion to G/FO is only one of many Title IV requirements. Full implementation may take yet another decade since it takes high performing Critical Occupation Specialty officers roughly 14 years to receive adequate officer professional development (OPD) from Major to Brigadier General. Army officers of the highest caliber will be selected for promotion to G/FO. It is likely that most will have served a JDA before their selection. Those selected that have not had a previous JDA will not be excluded from the promotion list because they have not had a prior JDA. On the contrary, those G/FO-selectees without a previous JDA likely will receive a Good of the Service (GOS) or Scientific/Technical waiver from the Secretary of Defense. Those receiving a GOS waiver will serve their first assignment as a G/ FO in a non-Critical JDA.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 24, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA249762
Entities
People
- Dennis M. Savage
Organizations
- United States Army War College