Pentagon mandates joint warfighting ability in military promotion evaluations
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed on May 20 that 'joint warfighting ability' be considered for officer and NCO promotions, with Undersecretary Anthony Tata leading metric development. A subsequent May 28 memo established a 'Joint Warfighting Evaluation' for O6-to-O7 promotions, chaired by former Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller. The policy aims to standardize warfighter competency assessments beyond existing Goldwater-Nichols Act requirements. Critics warn of unequal access to joint assignments and potential implementation barriers.
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Pentagon Creates 'Joint Warfighting Evaluation' for General and Admiral Promotions
The Pentagon has established a new 'Joint Warfighting Evaluation' to assess officers' operational analysis, communications, and decision-making skills when they are screened for promotion from O6 to O7, the first flag officer rank. The policy, outlined in a May 28 memo from Undersecretary of Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata, aims to standardize the evaluation of core competencies for joint warfighters. The evaluation will complement existing service processes and is an evolution of the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Act, which already requires joint duty assignments for promotion. Former Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, who was court-martialed for criticizing the Afghanistan withdrawal, will chair the committee leading the planning team. The effort follows a separate directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasizing joint warfighting ability in promotions.
Task & PurposePentagon creates ‘Joint Warfighting Evaluation’ for general and admiral promotions
The Pentagon has established a new 'Joint Warfighting Evaluation' to assess officers being considered for promotion from O6 to O7 (one-star general and admiral). The evaluation, mandated by a May 28 memo from Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata, will test operational analysis, communications, and decision-making skills. The policy builds on the Goldwater-Nichols Act's joint duty requirements, aiming to move beyond 'box checking' to better capture the value of joint experience. Former Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, who was court-martialed for criticizing the Afghanistan withdrawal, will chair the planning team. The effort follows a separate directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requiring 'joint warfighting ability' to be considered in all officer and NCO promotions.
Task & PurposeHegseth directs ‘joint warfighting ability’ be considered for officer, NCO promotions
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued a memo directing that 'joint warfighting ability' be added as a criterion for evaluating officers and noncommissioned officers for promotions. The May 20 memo, confirmed as authentic by Task & Purpose, tasks Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata with leading the effort to create objective, data-driven metrics. The Pentagon stated the move is part of a review to ensure promotion standards focus on warfighter capability, but no specific metrics have been released. Retired Navy Senior Chief Hendrick Simoes raised concerns about unequal access to joint assignments across career fields, potential cultural changes needed, and the risk of creating new barriers for service members if implemented too quickly. The article notes that joint operations involve missions with more than one service under a single commander.
Task & PurposeHegseth directs ‘joint warfighting ability’ be considered for officer, NCO promotions
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has mandated that 'joint warfighting ability' be added as a criterion for evaluating officers and noncommissioned officers for promotions, according to a May 20 memo confirmed by Task & Purpose. The memo directs the creation of an additional metric for evaluation processes, described as a 'warfighting imperative.' Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata is tasked with leading the effort. The Pentagon stated the move is part of a review to ensure promotion standards are objective and data-driven. No specific metrics have been defined yet. Retired Navy Senior Chief Hendrick Simoes raised concerns about unequal access to joint assignments across career fields, potential cultural changes needed, and the risk of creating new barriers for service members if implemented too quickly.
Task & PurposeHegseth directs ‘joint warfighting ability’ be considered for officer, NCO promotions
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has mandated that 'joint warfighting ability' be considered as a criterion for promotions of officers and noncommissioned officers, according to a May 20 memo confirmed by Task & Purpose. The memo directs the creation of an additional metric for evaluation processes, described as a 'warfighting imperative.' Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata is leading the effort. The Pentagon stated the move is part of a review to ensure promotion standards are objective and data-driven, though no new metrics are available yet. Retired Navy Senior Chief Hendrick Simoes raised concerns about unequal access to joint assignments across career fields, potential cultural changes needed, and the risk of creating new barriers for service members if implemented too quickly. The memo leaves key definitions and implementation details unspecified.
Task & Purpose