APAN - Sign In



Joint Staff JDAL Questionnairewith USSOUTHCOM ResponsesAs directed in DoDI 1300.19, DoD Joint Officer Management (JOM) Program, the Department recently completed a five-year review of the Joint Duty Assignment List. The review was conducted using guidance outlined in the April 2006 DoD Strategic Plan for Joint Officer Management and Joint Professional Military Education. To ensure the force remains flexible and current, please use the below questions to qualify attributes a Joint Qualified Officer should possess and the capabilities they should be able to provide DoD. 1. The April 2006 Strategic Plan identified a system/process to create fully joint qualified officers to ensure the Department has the capability and means to accomplish it missions and goals. What capability(ies) do you feel is most important for a JQO to provide the Department?The 2006 Strategic Plan defined “capability” in the joint context: “Unit, force and/or individual capabilities are the broad set of abilities required to achieve a particular mission or objective.” For the JQO, the most important capability is to objectively explore, assess, and determine the tools available to address security problems and make a recommendation to decision makers regardless of which DoD service or interagency entity owns or operates the specific tools or processes. JQOs need to have a good understanding of the joint planning process, and then be able to interpret and prepare products to enhance leadership understanding. Officers that can think in Whole-of-Government terms are very beneficial because, in most cases, DOD is in support of another lead federal agency. The JQO must have an understanding of the Services’ missions, authorities, and capabilities in order to integrate their distinct capabilities into joint plans/operations/exercises.Necessary skills are:Be knowledgeable of the authorities and legal requirements affecting the Combatant CommandsBe highly knowledgeable of his/her Service organization, capabilities, and business practicesExhibit Joint and command-level mindset and knowledge and apply them to all work products and servicesDisplay excellent skills as a staff/action officer2. What joint experiences or competencies does an officer require that ultimately enhances the capability to achieve the DoD mission? A JQO should possess the following experience/competencies:Knowledge of and ability to interpret Force Management and AllocationKnowledge of Staff Estimate procedures and capability limitation codesKnowledge of the 12 principles of joint operations, and the 6 joint functionsKnowledge of Allied and Coalition capabilities and limitationsKnowledge of Commander’s Critical Information RequirementsKnowledge of the Joint Operational Planning Process (JOPP)Knowledge of DoD and interagency organizations, their missions and functionsKnowledge of the planning, programming, budgeting, and executions system (PPBES)Knowledge of US Government Agencies and their relationships with CCMDsAbility to write, read and conduct research at an advance levelAbility to lead or participate in a work groupAbility to communicate effectively3. Which organizations can provide the needed experience to obtain the capability and what criteria should be used to assess that experience, i.e. Joint Staff, COCOM Staff, below-the-line orgs? Services need to explore more opportunities for mid-level and senior grade officers to realize joint and combined experiences that are not only outside their service but also outside DOD. The organization is not as important as gaining an experience that is considerably different than what the officer normally deals with. Among the best opportunities can be had at the Joint Staff, COCOM Headquarters, JTFs, and at Combined staffs. In addition, assignments outside of typical military-led organizations should be considered, including assignments as liaison officers to non-DOD agencies such as DOS, DHS, DOJ, and USAID; assignments at US Embassies as part of the Country Team; etc. These assignments would require JQOs to fully understand all the elements of DOD. These assignments can be best assessed thru use of the officer evaluation process with input from the partner agency. 4. What protocol is best to determine if an officer obtained the capabilities described in question 1? It depends; if DoD truly values the Joint capabilities then DoD should overhaul the annual performance forms of the services to better capture joint tasks and experience. Another option is to create a Joint evaluation form to be used by all personnel serving in Joint billets that the Services would be forced to accept.5. What types of experiences will create officers that are strategic thinkers?Developing strategic thinkers requires a more patient approach to force development. It is the combination of experience, education, and participation in strategic level activities such as developing theater strategic estimates, programming, and long term force planning. Finally, the continuous self-improvement process of these officers both through academic study and interaction with their peers cannot be understated.6. Joint doctrine states that joint leaders require skills in the operational and strategic arts. What types of experiences will produce these skills?Experiences in the Joint Staff, COCOM Headquarters and in other Governmental Agencies at the strategic level are the best exposure opportunities. 7. Should the work experiences be more strategic or operational in nature? How and to what level?Clearly, the best opportunity to develop these characteristics is thru a mixture of experiences balanced between strategic and operational level. 8. How many other military services and non-military organizations or agencies should an officer interact with during the performance of their joint assignment to be considered “jointed”? An officer should interact routinely (as in daily) with other military services and no less than weekly/monthly with interagency partners. If on a COCOM staff, there should a sufficient representation of interagency representatives to at least allow for interaction on a weekly basis. 9. What levels of leadership should a JQO be able to engage and advise? O6, GO/FO, Secretary? A JQO should be able to engage and advise GO/FO level at a minimum.10. What skill sets should a JQO possess? Ability to assess risks and propose mitigation factorsAbility to correlate anticipated events or conditions to relevant measures of performance (MOP) or measures of effectiveness (MOE)Ability to determine or predict the impact of functional limitations on operationsAbility to distinguish between apportioned and assigned or allocated forcesAbility to interpret Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan (JSCP) and Guidance for Employment of the Force (GEF) guidanceAbility to interpret strategic and operational planning guidanceAbility to support force structure analysis during mission analysisAbility to apply elements of Joint Operational Art and Operational DesignAbility to prioritize activities to meet constrained timelinesAbility to determine resource shortfalls based on operational requirementsStaff Officer/Professional Skills (proficient in all tools of a staff officer) Communication Skills (excellent briefer, communicator)11. In which organizations should an officer work to gain the requisite joint matters experience, i.e. Joint Staff, COCOM Staff, below-the-line organization? All those listed but also JTFs and interagency organization as well as international and regional security organizations. See response to question 3 above, also.12. Once an officer becomes a JQO, what type of work should he/she be able to perform and at what level? A JQO, upon “qualification”, should be able to harness strategic elements – political, social and military – to properly conduct strategic and contingency plans. These functions should be executed at the COCOM (to include JSAs—SCOs, SOF, Intel, and JIATF) and higher levels.13. Is there a need to distinguish between JQO-Strategic and JQO-Operational? If so, why? No; a JQO should be multi-faceted, and there’s no clear break between strategic & operational planning and operations 14. How long before the officer gains the prerequisite experience to be eligible for JQO (tour length/experience points)? Not less than 24 months of experience in a joint assignment. JSOC RESPONSESWhat capability(ies) do you feel is the most important for a JQO to provide the Department?ANSWER: A JQO’s most important capability must be the ability to influence National Military Strategy (NSS, NDS, NMS) and National Security Planning through their understanding on joint operations, joint policy as well as their military experiences in multi-service, multi-national and interagency operations. Completion of Joint Professional Military Education would lay the foundation for further professional growth in the joint environment.What protocol is best to determine if an officer obtained the capabilities described in question 1?ANSWER: Currently, the use of the officer’s evaluations is not the most effective means of determining whether a position is meeting the definition of “Joint Matters” and thus acquiring the capabilities needed to becoming a “joint qualified” officer. Instead, we should focus on developing grade specific positions that will develop the skills and capabilities needed at both the operational and strategic levels, similar to DA PAM 600-3, Commissioned Officer Professional Development and Career Management. As directed in DODI 1300.19, DoD Joint Officer Management (JOM) Program, the Department recently completed a five-year review of the Joint Duty Assignment List. The review was conducted using guidance outlined in the April 2006 DoD Strategic Plan for Joint Officer Management and Joint Professional Military Education. To ensure the force remains flexible and current, please use the below questions to qualify attributes a Joint Qualified Officer should possess and the capabilities they should be able to provide DOD.The April 2006 Strategic Plan identified a system/process to create fully joint qualified officers to ensure the Department has the capability and means to accomplish it missions and goals. What capability(ies) do you feel is most important for a JQO to provide the Department?Ability to plan, think and execute at all levels – tactical, operational and strategic.Need planning and operational capability for Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) in addition to warfighting capability identified in the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Act (GNA).Communicate effectively at executive levels and build constructive work relationships. Understanding of joint operations, plans, and doctrine. Also critical to understand how all services organize, train, equip, to contribute to joint and/or service -specific operations.To capably lead and excel in service and joint assignments in an environment increasingly interdependent – both within the services and with other Government agencies and Departments – and resource constrained. Develop the capability to transcend service culture and serve and lead in a way beneficial to the greater USG good.Operational training (PME or structured OJT) and experience (in-garrison or deployed for xx amount of time) working with, and supporting, Joint forces. Joint Staff Officers must find and use accurate joint knowledge for working at the combatant command level and above. They need broad knowledge of joint doctrine; processes and procedures; an understanding of the U.S. Interagency (IA) and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) processes; and a better understanding of all phases of military planning, mission analysis, and operations from a strategic perspective. Knowledge of national-level guidance and how it relates to their job is essential. Most staff officers at this level participate in some way in building budgets and submissions for funding. Knowledge of the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution System (PPBES) is critical. Knowledge of the Joint Intelligence Enterprise as well as the functions, authorities and core competencies of each member of the Intelligence Community (IC) is critical for Intelligence Officers.Regardless of the officer’s component, officers should possess the requisite training, education, and experience to positively contribute to mission accomplishment of the joint organization to which they are assigned. What joint experiences or competencies does an officer require that ultimately enhances the capability to achieve the DOD mission?Should include matters relating to:(1) National military strategy(2) Contingency and strategic planning(3) Command and control of operations under unified command(4) National security planning with other U.S. departments and agencies(5) Thorough understanding of employment of all military forces (e.g. Reserve and National Guard Forces) and governing authorities (Title 5, 10, 14, 32, etc.)(6) Combined operations with military forces of allied nationsManaging and leading in a diverse work environment (to include civilians, contractors, Reserve and Guard, Service components, interagency, and multinational personnel) Both HQ-level and field-level (deployment) perspectives that contribute to joint operations. Also recommend joint PME or in-res PME in a different service to round out experience.An understanding of rapidly evolving 21st century threats and the inter-service and interagency means of dealing with those threats. Experiences where officers can apply service expertise to inter-service and interagency problem sets while learning how each service and agency fits into a national approach to countering these threats. Strong critical thinking and communication skills, an ability to work with seniors and counterparts from other backgrounds will help Joint Officers contribute to the national defense and bring valuable expertise back to their parent service and help them develop junior officers.Understanding Joint language and doctrine. Familiarity with all Services’ doctrine (e.g.: how USMC employs a MAGTF…etc), integrated with the Joint Operational Planning Process (JOPP).Should develop a good working knowledge of the missions, cultures, and products and services of those agencies represented within their respective combatant command/agency/Staff. For those officers serving in the geographic combatant commands, an understanding of regional issues, host nation concerns, economic impacts, and multi-national/cultural assessments is important, as well as Area of Responsibility (AOR) experience and cultural understanding. Joint staff officers should also understand the linkages between operational art and strategy, and align staff work with senior leaders’ guidance and perspectives.Which organizations can provide the needed experience to obtain the capability and what criteria should be used to assess that experience, i.e. Joint Staff, COCOM Staff, below-the-line orgs?CJCSI 1330.05 provides very good examples (page B-5, para 7) Serving multiple positions on a COCOM provides the needed experience to obtain the capability as a Joint Qualified Officer. Any opportunity to serve in an organization where there is a strong joint culture and strong ties to national level agencies, JTFs (including SOF JTFs), or country teams should be encouraged – to promote both an understanding of the Commands’ appropriate roles and engagements and an understanding of the many unique missions, capabilities, and cultures of agencies and other services. Deployment experience would also be beneficial.For intelligence officers experience at national agencies (DIA, NSA, NGA) is complementary but not a substitute for COCOM experience.What protocol is best to determine if an officer obtained the capabilities described in question 1?CJCSI 1330.05, Enclosure E, is a good starting point for evaluation. Assessment can be as simple as face-to-face counseling with one’s senior rater. Leaders should include the progress of the officer toward being Joint qualified in evaluation reports. What types of experiences will create officers that are strategic thinkers?A variety of exposure to jobs with U.S. agencies and international alliances (e.g. NATO, U.N., etc.); working in COCOM or higher planning and resource functions.DSCA operations with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well as other inter-agency work under the National Response FrameworkJoint Exercise Program (JEP) designated exercises Executive level leadership training from non-service organizations – particularly from civilian agencies, but also from alternative service schools such as War Colleges. Assignments to national agency task forces, or with a US Embassy country team, or (difficult in this resource environment) academic sabbaticals would help inculcate strategic thinking. Strong officers tend to stick with their strong service strengths and need to vacate their comfort zones and traditional paths to service success to transcend service culture.Short-term TDYs with other organizations (exercise planning, orientation program at various organizations – similar to CAPSTONE for GOs, Officer Professional Development (OPDs) with seniors) Experiences where they must solve complex, multi-domain problems, using less-than-perfect resources, while operating with multiple actors outside their given service.Experience working in a COCOM or JS-level staff position, analysts w/in the Intelligence Community (IC), JPME II education. Joint doctrine states that joint leaders require skills in the operational and strategic arts. What types of experiences will produce these skills?Holding positions as outlined above during a major JCS Exercise and/or real-world operation.Working in national agencies, joint commands or other joint units, COCOMs, or joint staff.Work in an FBI Task Force, or an interagency fusion cell. Leadership position in a crisis JTF.Experience w/ the JOPP (in-garrison at a COCOM or JS) or deployed within a JTF…where these planning and operational skills are used daily. Would also recommend building/implementing a ‘critical thinking’ course for each COCOM. This course would be mandatory at the COCOM and would teach fundamentals and tradecraft for critical thinkers…essential for strategic thinkers. Recommend using the CTSA course by DIA as a foundational course---emphasizes what is needed at a COCOM to train/refine operational and strategic thinking.Should the work experiences be more strategic or operational in nature? How and to what level?Ideally, work experiences should entail multiple echelons of experience so the JQO has the perspective to understand all levels of joint operations.Successful experience at tactical and operational levels contributes to a greater understanding of the impacts, affects and contributions at the strategic level. Entry at the strategic level without the requisite experience at the operational and tactical levels can be problematic (officer may not understand how it all works, the process, and how what is directed, prescribed or accomplished at the strategic level can affect and impact lower levels). As the services divest redundant capability and rely more on Joint partners, integration at the operational level will become even more critical. If we assume that the next 20 years will look more like the last 20 (1994-2014) than the 20 proceeding that (1974-1994) with multiple regional problems vice a singular strategic problem, than our emphasis should be high operational/low strategic development for JQOs. Regional problems may have strategic impacts but they are inherently operational level in execution. Finally, the core competency that we bring to the Interagency is operational level planning and execution. It is unlikely that our interagency partners will develop peer competency in this area in the near to midterm. Maintaining our excellence in operational art will enhance our role in the interagency process. How many other military services and non-military organizations or agencies should an officer interact with during the performance of their joint assignment to be considered “jointed”? Exposure to multiple other military services and non-military organizations/agencies will best develop a cadre of joint officers. Opening up dialogue with external partners allows for growth and development. There is no perfect number/mix. Don’t believe a fixed number is necessary, the JDAL should provide a menu of options that entails all of the above. Interacting regularly with at least one military organization different from the officers should allow consideration for joint duty. What levels of leadership should a JQO be able to engage and advise? O6, GO/FO, Secretary?This depends on the level of the position … for example, it might be a stretch to expect a JQO at the 04 level to routinely have successful engagements at the Secretary level. However, when/as required, a JQO officer should be prepared (and expected) to “engage and advise” at whatever level it takes to get the job done, focus on GO/FO/SES and DASD level.What skill sets should a JQO possess?Start with the core competencies outlined in the Joint Officers Handbook. Planning: Ex. Joint logistic support planning links the mission to the COCOM’s core logistic capabilities.Integration: The changing operational environment presents numerous challenges. The integration of military and interagency logistics capabilities are essential to the success of COCOM munications: Need to be able to reach out and discuss issues or take actions with members from across the Staff and with Components.Teamwork: Ability to work side-by-side with members from different countries, services and agencies in completing the mission. Excellent written and oral communication skills.Ability to take complex concepts and simplify for GO/FO/SES and DASD digestion. Critical thinking and objectivity, emotional intelligence and leadership qualities, a strong collaborative ethos, and sufficient intellect to keep up with highly capable counterparts, seniors, and even subordinates with unique backgrounds and capabilities. In which organizations should an officer work to gain the requisite joint matters experience, i.e. Joint Staff, COCOM Staff, below-the-line organization?OSD, Joint Staff, COCOM staff, Joint Task Force, Joint HQ, InteragencyOnce an officer becomes a JQO, what type of work should he/she be able to perform and at what level?Officers should be able to perform at all levels, grade appropriate and commensurate with designator, MOS or AFSC. This would include further Joint assignments, as well as international and/or inter-agency.Just as importantly, JQOs should be able to bring “joint-mindedness” back to leadership positions within their respective Services. Is there a need to distinguish between JQO-Strategic and JQO-Operational? If so, why?Once qualified, JQOs should be capable of support to either operational or strategic requirements. That said, there may be a need to somehow distinguish between JQO-Warfighting and JQO-Civil Support, as warfighting and DSCA planning experience are very different.How long before the officer gains the prerequisite experience to be eligible for JQO (tour length/experience points)?Current timelines and requirements seem to be appropriate. The current issues/concerns are less about this and much more about qualifying positions. EUCOM RESPONSESAnswer to Question 1:The Apr ’06 Strategic Plan identified four strategic objectives. We believe the recent JDAL review does not meet two of them. Objective number two: Produce the largest possible body of fully qualified and inherently joint officers suitable for joint command and staff responsibilities.The recent JDAL review drastically reduces the number of JDAL billets at European Command Headquarters. European Command lost 50% of its JDAL billets. The question the recent JDAL review begs is “what problem are we solving.” The guidance outlined in the 2002 NDAA did not mandate a JDAL reduction. The requirement to review the JDAL every five years is strictly policy as outlined in DoDI 1300.19 dated March 2014. Drastically cutting the JDAL will not contribute towards producing the largest possible body of fully qualified and inherently joint officers. In fact, it will do the opposite. The 2003, Booz-Allen-Hamilton, Independent Study of Joint Officer Management and Joint Professional Education, stated, “An increasing number of people (including RC officers, junior grade officers, noncommissioned officers (NCO), and civilians) are involved in joint matters, and they will need knowledge, skills, abilities, and other qualities not needed by their predecessors.”Objective number four: Maintain the quality of officers in joint assignment.A reduced JDAL will result in quality officers avoiding the non JDAL billets, therefore reducing the overall quality at the Joint commands—not what we want. Furthermore, the Services are likely to fill non-JDAL billets at a much lower percentage. Recent reductions to the EUCOM Joint Tables of Distribution (JTD) are already having a negative impact on our ability to execute our missions. The pending reductions on the JDAL will make this problem worse.Another inherent problem with future assignments is the inconsistency among JDAL billets across organizations. For example, if a given Service has one O-5 to offer competing joint commands and there are two vacant billets (1 joint and 1 non-joint), it seems likely the JDAL billet will get priority. Strongly recommend the Joint Staff crosscheck each joint billet by functional designation to ensure JDAL equity across organizations. For example, a J2 Intel Analyst in EUCOM and an Intel Analyst at PACOM should be designated the same.While we understand officers can self-nominate to attain joint credit, it is important to take into account the impact on morale and productivity when JDAL and non-JDAL officers work side-by-side supporting the same mission set. Non-JDAL officers who are not given joint credit will be at a career disadvantage when competing with joint complete officers. Answer to Question 2:Every officer assigned to our organization contributes to Joint Officer Matters (JOM). You can make the argument based on grade or level of responsibility whether the person is contributing at the tactical, operational or strategic level. However, they are all working in a joint capacity supporting Joint missions. Creating “haves” and “have-nots” (JDAL vice non-JDAL) working side by side doing the same work will not contribute to unit cohesion, morale and productivity. Answer to Questions 3, 4, 5, and 6:COCOM Staffs are Joint in every aspect. Every directorate engages in support of joint warfare and joint operations. In the 2003, Booz-Allen-Hamilton, Independent Study of Joint Officer Management and Joint Professional Education, it provides notional definitions of JDAL describing the level of jointness in terms of how each relates to joint warfighting. Specifically, it notionally defines JDAL in three ways:“Critical: the position is critically related to joint matters. The occupant holds full-time, staff or command responsibilities for the integrated employment of forces or the associated strategy, planning, or C2. (Positions might include the unified commander, deputy commander, chief or director of staff, J-3, J-5, J-6 and key leadership positions within those directorates.Required: The position is directly related to joint matters. The occupant participates full-time (or frequently) and directly in the integrated employment of forces or the associated strategy, planning and C2. (Positions might include most the directors, J-1 through J-9; most officers from the J-3 and J-5 directorates; and some key leadership positions in each directorate.Associated: The position is associated with joint matters. The occupant participates indirectly and/or occasionally in the integrated employment of forces or the associated strategy, planning, and C2. (Positions might include most JDAs in directorates other than J-3 and J-5; unified commanders’ personal and special staffs; and many positions in OSD and the defense agencies.)”Answer to Question 7:Joint work experiences at EUCOM mirror the ranges described above. The joint involvement in strategic planning and decision-making is heavily dependent on grade, position and directorate. Answer to Question 8:There is no set joint formula but suffice it to say joint officers should have almost daily contact with sister service members; multi-national members and/or inter-agency partners.Answer to Questions 9, 10, 12:Again, the 2003, Booz-Allen-Hamilton, “Independent Study of Joint Officer Management and Joint Professional Military Education” states, “The legislation directing this study also required that, by 2007, all officers promoted to general or flag officer must first be JSOs. However, in almost all interviews, active and retired senior officers across the Armed Forces stated that JSO designation is a hollow distinction because there appears to be little difference in performance between JSOs and non-JSOs.” We predict the same blurred lines will occur between future JDAL and non-JDAL officers.Answer to Question 11:A COCOM staff is the best type of organization to gain joint matters experience at all levels; tactical, operational, and strategic.Answer to Question 14:2 years should be the minimum to attain joint credit.Recommend the following:* Repeal the JDAL results and conduct a new review that focuses on JQO or Joint-critical designation. * Consider re-coding all JDAL billets as critical, required, or associated, while preserving JDAL status for all COCOM officers in grades O4 and above.* Conduct future JDAL reviews using objective criteria and JTD billet descriptions. Eliminate the use of evaluations which vary greatly based on author and the time period.* Review JDAL positions functionally across organizations.STRACOM RESPONSESAs directed in DoDI 1300.19, DoD Joint Officer Management (JOM) Program, the Department recently completed a five-year review of the Joint Duty Assignment List. The review was conducted using guidance outlined in the April 2006 DoD Strategic Plan for Joint Officer Management and Joint Professional Military Education. To ensure the force remains flexible and current, please use the below questions to qualify attributes a Joint Qualified Officer should possess and the capabilities they should be able to provide DoD.The April 2006 Strategic Plan identified a system/process to create fully joint qualified officers to ensure the Department has the capability and means to accomplish it missions and goals. What capability(ies) do you feel is most important for a JQO to provide the Department?The Chairman’s White Paper, November 2005, properly describes the attributes to which a senior military leader should ascribe. Ultimately, the need to be a “skilled joint warfighter” who is also strategically minded and possess critical thinking” contribute to this ultimate objective. Ultimately our JQOs must:Understand and apply operational art, operational design and be able to develop a campaign planKnow how to campaignKnow and apply the relationship between policy, strategy and planningUnderstand role of politics and warConduct joint and interagency planning at the strategic and operational levels of warWhat joint experiences or competencies does an officer require that ultimately enhances the capability to achieve the DoD mission?Joint experience and competencies would center on the operational art and design, Joint Operational Planning Process (JOPP), Joint Strategic Planning System (PPBE, GFM, JOPP, GEF, DAS) and deployment/employment/control/supervision of joint forces at the 2-4 star HQs level. JPME should be used to teach, reinforce/teach Joint Doctrine, teach operational design, provide practical exercise in an academic environment, and focus on persuasive written communication and collaboration techniques. Officers in today’s Joint organizations are presented with opportunities to use these techniques and find creative/out-of-the-box solutions for accomplishing DoD objectives with dwindling resources.Which organizations can provide the needed experience to obtain the capability and what criteria should be used to assess that experience, i.e. Joint Staff, COCOM Staff, below-the-line orgs?Any of the above listed organizations can afford opportunities for officers to gain joint experience. The criteria used to assess joint experience needs to be simplified from the current process. As our forces draw down, efforts need to be directly tied to org missions as a joint command or activity, and maybe less on what each position on the JTD is doing/documenting joint experience. It may be appropriate in some instances to classify an entire organization as “Joint” and correspondingly attribute joint experience to the officers employed in those organizations; greatly reducing the administrative burden placed on warfighters. There should be little, if any question, which officers involved in Operations, Planning, and C2 at a Joint Command, receive credit for a Joint assignment. Metrics (or a joint matters definition) may become necessary to evaluate officers in support roles, but the process needs to become much less labor intensive than current process. DoD needs “Jointly” qualified leaders. The current education/training systems facilitate this. Leaders are developed with or without the current administrative processes. The question to be asked is “what is the value of measuring “Jointness” on a position by positionlevel in every circumstance.”Addressing the current outcome of the joint revalidation, those billets within an organization that have lost credit will only continue to hurt that organization now and in the future. The Services are increasingly reluctant to fill non-joint billets and the ability for the organizations to gain highly qualified joint officer will continue to decrease. What protocol is best to determine if an officer obtained the capabilities described in question 1?A 3-5 year cycle that includes an on-sight visit and review of JTD with unit J1, C/S, Joint Staff and Service reps. CCMDs ought to be declared “Joint by nature” with additional scrutiny applied to “below the line” non-joint HQs units and activities. This is where there is potential for stretching joint matters/joint duty definitions and practicalities. What types of experiences will create officers that are strategic thinkers?Work in or with Congress, other executive branch agencies, think tanks, academia, all come to mind. War-gaming, alternative futures and red teaming are all experiences that help with strategic thoughtJoint doctrine states that joint leaders require skills in the operational and strategic arts. What types of experiences will produce these skills?In addition to the answer for question 3, and 4, JPME and the officers past and future assignments should develop the necessary experience to produce the skills needed. The more specialized we becomes, the tougher it will be for experience to translate well to a joint environment. Should the work experiences be more strategic or operational in nature? How and to what level?Officers need to possess expertise in both the operational and strategic environments. How many other military services and non-military organizations or agencies should an officer interact with during the performance of their joint assignment to be considered “jointed”? There is no magic number that assures “jointness.” It also can’t be an organization that is performing a “service” mission, but has a smattering of other service officers in it. There are a number of organizations that fit into this bin, and threaten the integrity of the institution by stretching the definition of joint to “take care of” select communities. Relevant factors would be how frequently contact occurs, functions performed, the level of organization interacting with, and the nature of the interaction (plans, policy, joint manning, etc).What levels of leadership should a JQO be able to engage and advise? O6, GO/FO, Secretary?O6 and upWhat skill sets should a JQO possess?JQO should be at an expert level in their service skill (MOS, AFSC, etc.); and possess the skills described in the Chairman’s White Paper - Strategically Minded, Critical Thinker, and Skilled Joint Warfighter.In which organizations should an officer work to gain the requisite joint matters experience, i.e. Joint Staff, COCOM Staff, below-the-line organization?See question 3.Once an officer becomes a JQO, what type of work should he/she be able to perform and at what level?As a JQO, the individual should have developed varied expertise and be ready to lead over a wide spectrum of situations. Be able to lead an Integrated Planning Team/Joint Planning Group through the Joint Operational Planning Process (JOPP) to include mission initiation and Joint Intelligence Preparation of the Environment (JIPOE). JQO must clearly understand, and demonstrate proficiency in the Policy-Strategy-Planning framework. Is there a need to distinguish between JQO-Strategic and JQO-Operational? If so, why?No value seen in this differentiation, until maybe the GOFO rank (JSO Level IV). The reality is given the broad range of missions CCMDS, JTFs, 2/3 Star Service HQs undertake, it is very hard to differentiate between Operational and Strategic. We do need to be clear about tactical activities (i.e. JTAC working in an Army Infantry Company, NAVY EWO attached to a MEU, etc) not qualifying for JQO. How long before the officer gains the prerequisite experience to be eligible for JQO (tour length/experience points)?Current 24 month requirement seems about right, with the ability for the Services to do ask for a curtailment to 22 months for critical duties (i.e. Command, Acquisition Program Manager, etc)USTRANSCOM Responses to Vice Director, Joint Staff Joint Qualified Officer (JQO) Questions1. The April 2006 Strategic Plan identified a system/process to create JQOs to ensure the Department has the capability and means to accomplish it missions and goals. What capability(ies) do you feel is most important for a JQO to provide the Department?- Ability to effectively work with Service members from other Services at the operational or strategic level and understand the other Services’ culture, jargon, equipment, capabilities, TTPs, doctrine, etc. - Capability of working with agencies outside the military (i.e., the United Nations or inter-agency, such as Department of State). - Be able to develop and deliver capabilities to include systems that support combined ops and command and control of ops. - - Plan combined ops and command and control of ops. - Be able to execute combined ops and command and control of ops. - Be able to understand how one’s specialty at the Joint Staff, a combatant command (CCMD), or a Combat Support Agency contributes to the JS J3’s and the CCMD J3s’ ability to plan and direct the assigned forces in pursuit of the military objectives of the Combatant Commanders that support achieving the overall goals of the National Command Authority. - Capability of thinking across the DoD enterprise vice Service-specific; providing the Department technical and tactical proficiency in the integrated employment of land, sea, and air forces. - Be able to plan and execute operations incorporating the capabilities of the Service Components and the Coalition Partners through the lens of the U.S’s National and Regional Strategies. 2. What joint experiences or competencies does an officer require that ultimately enhances the capability to achieve the DoD mission?- Joint experience involving interaction with other Services, Inter-agencies, International Organizations, and allies and partner nations. - Being able to competently read and understand the implications of national strategy documents such as the NSS, NMS, NDS, JSCP, UCP, CRA, and follow them down to their command level. - Be able to understand “Unified Action” and capable of communicating with all Services and agencies in the UCP. - Be able to understand the different command authorities; including ADCON, TACON, and OPCON. - Plan operations involving unified action of integrated military forces, non-governmental organizations and support contract personnel. - Develop requirements for systems that will support command and control and combined ops of integrated military forces, non-governmental organizations and support contract personnel. - Deliver systems that support command and control and combined ops of integrated military forces, non-governmental organizations and support contract personnel. - Execute command and control and combined ops of integrated military forces, non-governmental organizations and support contract personnel. - Interact with the other directorates on a routine basis and with the supported command for a given named operation are the essential experiences. Collectively these activities impart information on the various Services and how to frame issues for flag officer decision making. - Experience that utilizes the different Service-specific methodologies toward accomplishment of a joint goal. - Critical thinking (Conceptual), technical experiences in joint systems and joint interpersonal skills that lead to accomplishing joint matters enhancing the capability to achieve the DoD mission. - Leadership at the Joint level where the officer must meld the mission requirements with the strengths of the Services and Inter-agency/Coalition partners to ensure mission success. - Thorough knowledge of their Service’s capabilities viewed through the lens of JP 3-0. - Preparation for a Joint or Coalition operation allows the officer to develop his joint skills through the practice of the art of war.- Completion of an initial joint education program in conjunction with an initial assignment followed by an advanced program (JPME II) after a period of Joint experience. - Combat operations, international affairs, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief experiences.3. Which organizations can provide the needed experience to obtain the capability and what criteria should be used to assess that experience, i.e., Joint Staff, CCMD Staff, below-the-line orgs?CCMDs, JTF, Service billets where the Service is designated as lead Service for a joint capability (e.g., Joint Program Office); frequency of interaction and types of interaction with other Services, organizations, contractors that must be integrated to provide joint capabilities. Below the Unified Command level organizations such as the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command (JECC) which are composed of officers from all four Services, and have a joint planning, communication and public affairs function in support of the emerging requirements at the CCMDs. Work on multi-agency domestic operations such as Joint Task Force Civil Support and NORTHCOM’s operations to assist in natural disasters which might also incorporate Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) such as the Red Cross. Personnel deployed in positions on joint or coalition staffs also receive the hands-on experiences to make them true joint warriors since they have to integrate the various Service and coalition partner threads to support the operation. Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC), Combines Maritime Operations Center (CMOC), JMRC, or JRTC. 4. What protocol is best to determine if an officer obtained the capabilities described in question 1?The JDAL validation board process currently relies on achievements included in the members’ performance reports to determine if joint duties were performed. This practice introduces a flaw in the process since reports are prepared in Service-specific language and IAW Service requirements that enable individuals to compete on equal terms within their respective Service. As such, the specific terms or contexts a JDAL review board seeks may not be present in the performance reports. Alternate means such as a Job Book or similar validation process could better determine if an officer obtained the most important capabilities for a JQO such as: development of a new joint officer evaluation form that allows for specific tracking of Joint experiences and training which the officer’s supervisor would complete/maintain the form as a documented record of their joint strategic-operational experiences/competencies; and, standardized online testing of common knowledge in Joint Publications using standardized measures and milestones to allow for a comparison across all joint organizations. 5. What types of experiences will create officers that are strategic thinkers?Successfully graduating from the Services’ Command and General Staff Colleges, Senior Service Colleges (War Colleges), and an assignment as outline in number 3 above or at a Joint Task Force such as USFOR-AFG or ISAF creates strategic thinkers. A good knowledge of “Joint Publication –1, Doctrine or the Armed Forces of the United States” and working knowledge of command relationships and how they all interact will also help create strategic thinkers. Developing joint plans at a joint CCMD or JTF. Validating system requirements that support multiple Services. Delivering systems and Services that will support joint forces. Regular interaction with CCMD and Joint Staff planners because this exposes officers to the various facets involved in achieving an operational or strategic goal. Being a part of complex problem solving at the CCMD level and higher. Any experience where officers must understand concepts and use systems outside their respective Service to employ, deploy and support unified and combined forces will create officers that are strategic thinkers. Strategic thinking requires both experience and education, but not exclusively at the strategic level. Experiences at a joint command condition the officer to look at a problem set in a volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity environment from a strategic-operational level and to be able to utilize decision making models to develop a solution. Development of the officer at the joint operational level leads to the development of his strategic thinking ability. Positions that give this experience include leadership, planning, operations, security cooperation. Positions that are focused outside the command and that take into account the Inter-agency process and the development of the National Strategy. Positions that are supported within the command such as the J1 and J6 are also part of the joint planning process. The J1 at NORTHCOM led the integration of the civil military leadership construct to harmonize U.S. Code Titles 10 and 32 leadership chains. Key words: Multi-National, Coalition, Joint Task Force, Air-Land-Sea operations, Operational and Strategic implementation.6. Joint doctrine states that joint leaders require skills in the operational and strategic arts. What types of experiences will produce these skills?Same as 5 above. Also, any experience in Joint Staff or CCMDs developing and/or validating future strategic or operational plans, developing and/or validating contingency operations will produce skills in the operational and strategic arts; work on the development of Theater-level OPORDs and CONPLANs; planning and management of combat/NEO/civil support operations at the CCMD level opportunities; work synchronizing unified actions in support of national and regional goals; Security Cooperation activities; liaison with external organizations; work on multi-national and coalition staffs where strategy and operations are harmonized; assignments at other USG organizations (i.e., State Dept, Homeland Security, FBI, etc.) where inter-agency knowledge and experience are gained; and, participation in joint exercises at the CCMD and component level.7. Should the work experiences be more strategic or operational in nature? How and to what level?Most experience should be strategic, with a healthy dose of operational/theater. Too much of one without the other is not optimal. The level of the work experiences will largely be driven by one’s rank. The experience one obtains as an O-4/5 tends to be operational in nature, building on the tactical experiences as an O-3. The O-4/5 gains exposure to the strategic considerations in preparing decision packages for the O-6 and GO/FO level, but does not gain experience until sitting in the position of an O-6 or GO/FO. Should be a healthy mix of both dependent on the specific issue being worked. For example, designing C2 across all 9 CCMDs – strategic; putting the C2 into practice – operational. Both are joint. Work experience should be balanced between operational and strategic by developing and/or validating future strategic or operational plans, developing and/or validating contingency operations will produce skills in the operational and strategic arts. This could be done through rotating assignment between USTRANSCOM J5/4 and J3 for example. The work experiences should combine the strategic and operational levels since the joint qualified staff officer will require an understanding of how to transition strategic guidance into operational requirements. The JECC provides packages of planners, public affairs and communications experts to enhance the capabilities of a CCMD or to stand up a Joint Task Force Headquarters. This requires the personnel to be able to work at the operational level while tying those operations to strategic policy and goals. Levels for the experience would be from the deployed JTF through the CCMD. 8. How many other military Services and non-military organizations or agencies should an officer interact with during the performance of their joint assignment to be considered “jointed”? There should not be a set number of Services or organizations that an officer must interact with in order to be joint qualified. The functional aspect, as described above, should determine jointness. The totality of the work the officer undertakes and the experience of strategic and operational interactions should be the driver. An officer assigned to work at the State Department might only work with one agency, but would gain a high level of knowledge and experience that would add depth to his joint qualifications.9. What levels of leadership should a JQO be able to engage and advise? O6, GO/FO, Secretary?A JQO should be able to engage and advise at both Strategic and Operational levels, O6 and above. The officer should possess the range of knowledge and experience to interpret data and events and render appropriate guidance at the GOFO and above level. The higher levels, 3/4 Star and DASD and above, will obviously require an officer with a wider level of experiences in the Joint arena in order to address a larger field of possible scenarios. There are two apparent levels of Joint qualification: 1) An action officer that works primarily at the operational level taking strategy and developing operational requirements in a joint environment; and, 2) The strategic level decision makers who are usually GOFOs who are in their second joint assignment.10. What skill sets should a JQO possess?- Same as number 1 above. - Understand how other Services, agencies, non-governmental organizations are organized, trained, and equipped. - Understand CONOPs across other Services, agencies, non-governmental organizations. - Ability to recognize capabilities available in the presented forces, and assign them roles to achieve the mission. - Strategic and critical thinking skills, excellent communication skills, ability to work across the domains of sea, air, cyber and surface. - Ability to efficiently function in the inter-agency arena. - Firm grasp on geopolitical trends and history over a wide area with a possible focus on one region. - Ability to appreciate different approaches from other Services and Inter-agency/Coalition partners. - Able to take strategic guidance and distill it down to the operational art level. - Able to work in the international environment. 11. In which organizations should an officer work to gain the requisite joint matters experience, i.e. Joint Staff, COCOM Staff, below-the-line organization?Same as number 3 above. Also, all FGO positions at Joint Staff and COCOM Staff should be considered joint. Joint Program Office positions that are working requirements definition (e.g. systems engineering), test, contracting, logistics, and program management should be joint. All other Service positions that are joint should have to have a definition applied and be adjudicated to verify that they satisfy the definition of joint. An officer should work in any organization that experiences the joint deployment, employment and support of unified and combined forces to gain the requisite joint matters experience. Organizations that have an inherently joint mission and structure can provide the needed experience. Below the Unified Command Level organizations such the JECC which is composed of officers from all four Services, and has a joint planning, communication and public affairs function in support of the emerging requirements at the Combatant Commands. Personnel deployed in positions on joint or coalition staffs also receive the hands-on experiences to make them true joint warriors, since they have to integrate the various Service and coalition partner threads to support the operation. 12. Once an officer becomes a JQO, what type of work should he/she be able to perform and at what level?Once designated as a JQO, an officer should be able to perform at any level commensurate with their rank, and the type of work should be within the skill set(s) of the branch, and the staff he/she worked at the joint command. Joint experience would be best utilized in another joint position, but Services would benefit by having joint operations and planners in strategic and operations/support positions that may not be entirely joint. A JQO should be able to perform substantive planning and operations activities at the JTF through CCMD level. Their experiences and knowledge should form a foundation of continued work in the Joint/Inter-agency arena.13. Is there a need to distinguish between JQO-Strategic and JQO-Operational? If so, why?No. Joint Qualified Officers should be able to perform at either strategic or operational level. 14. How long before the officer gains the prerequisite experience to be eligible for JQO (tour length/experience points)?The current JQO standard path of 24 months is reasonable.CENTCOM RESPONSESAs directed in DoDI 1300.19, DoD Joint Officer Management (JOM) Program, the Department recently completed a five-year review of the Joint Duty Assignment List. The review was conducted using guidance outlined in the April 2006 DoD Strategic Plan for Joint Officer Management and Joint Professional Military Education. To ensure the force remains flexible and current, please use the below questions to qualify attributes a Joint Qualified Officer should possess and the capabilities they should be able to provide DoD.The April 2006 Strategic Plan identified a system/process to create fully joint qualified officers to ensure the Department has the capability and means to accomplish it missions and goals. What capability(ies) do you feel is most important for a JQO to provide the Department?Joint/Strategic Operational Planning, Joint Requirements Determination/Solicitation/Defense Budget Process and Security Cooperation with Allied nationsWhat joint experiences or competencies does an officer require that ultimately enhances the capability to achieve the DoD mission?Joint/National Security Planning, coordinating/integration, programming, budgeting, and joint exercisesWhich organizations can provide the needed experience to obtain the capability and what criteria should be used to assess that experience, i.e. Joint Staff, COCOM Staff, below-the-line orgs?The OSD staff, Joint Staff, and COCOM HQs for certain. Additionally, the Security Cooperation Offices definitely fulfill the international and interagency aspects as well as having the cross-component interaction. The determination within the functional defense agencies is not as clear, and perhaps this is where the alignment with the interpretation of Joint Matters definition is most needed. What protocol is best to determine if an officer obtained the capabilities described in question 1?The current template with experience and education is appropriate. With a better definition of what warrants joint experience, the framework is good. What types of experiences will create officers that are strategic thinkers?JPME, joint deployments & exercises, assignments to the Joint Staff or COCOM staff and subordinate activities. Joint doctrine states that joint leaders require skills in the operational and strategic arts. What types of experiences will produce these skills?Coordinating and integrating joint matters with full exposure of the cross services, whole-of-government toward accomplishment of the national security strategy is beneficial. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download