Is the Military on Track to Achieve Joint Objectives as Outlined in the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Act? A Look at Joint Officer Management Policies 1986-2001

Abstract

Fifteen years have passed since the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act (GNA) was enacted to move the Armed Forces to a higher level of jointness, yet one still hears questions among military leaders regarding whether or not joint policies and systems are in opposition to or in agreement with Service desires or possibly just somewhere in-between. Today a strong perception exists that time spent away from one's Service, especially working in a joint billet, is potentially detrimental to an officer one's successful career. Often joint billets compete for the same time in an officer's career timeline with Service billets that are considered critical for selection to the next higher rank. This paper analyzes two aspects of joint officer management. Firstly, it looks at the policies and programs in place as of 2001 concerning training, educating and assigning officers who serve in joint assignments. Secondly, it seeks to determine if these policies have placed officers with sufficient joint experience in the most senior billets in today one's military and if these policies bode well for increasing joint education and experience amongst senior leaders who will fill these positions over the next decade. In order to accomplish this the paper analyzes the joint education and experiences of the current commanders in chief (CINCs) and senior Service chiefs as well as all of the CINCs of US Central Command (CINCCENTs) from 1986 until present. The paper concludes that although the military has taken steps to reach a state of jointness in response to the GNA, individual Service career progression perspectives still carry a significant amount of weight within the military and continue to bring a significant force to bear against joint initiatives involving joint officer management.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 04, 2002
Accession Number
ADA401834

Entities

People

  • J. R. Jordan Iii

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Airlift Operations
  • Artillery
  • Combatant Commanders
  • Congress
  • Instructors
  • Military Education
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Naval Operations
  • Navy
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Students
  • United States Central Command
  • United States European Command
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.