Reserve Joint Officer Qualification System Getting It Right

摘要

The Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986 created a statutory scheme that directed the four services to develop a cadre of officers on the active duty list that were proficient in joint matters. The goal was to develop within the armed forces a capability to operate on a joint integrated basis. Military successes over the past several years testify to the effectiveness of the mandates of the Act. In recent years however the requirements levied on the Department of Defense to maintain a high operational tempo in support of the current operations has placed a greater demand on the services to supply an even greater number of officers with joint qualifications. Reserve officers have been filling this need in greater numbers over the years. However there is no mandatory legislation effective regulations or policies that govern reserve joint officer management education and reserve joint officer qualification. A mandatory comprehensive approach to reserve joint officer management is needed at the strategic level. The reserve components must effectively evolve and be properly educated and managed to allow the Department of Defense to effectively utilize those reserve component assets as the United States faces the new national security challenges today and in the foreseeable future.