washingtonscene
The defense authorization bill also is headed to conference. MOAA is hopeful funding for the commissary subsidy will be restored during this process. Ultimately, without the funding, the
Legislative UPDATE
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cost of operating the commissary slowly will shift to shoppers. MOAA thanks Mikulski and Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) for leading the charge to prevent privati- zation of commissaries.
DoD Looks to A
the Future A new generation of troops could change how the military operates.
ccording to Navy officials, in a decade, 98 percent of the force will consist of millennials. In
order to preserve the all-volunteer force, senior leaders say the services must adapt to meet the changing needs of the force. Undersecretary of Defense Brad Carson called DoD’s personnel program “antiquated,” saying “oppressive bureau- cracy exists” when it comes to force man- agement. Carson emphasized his concern that “great dissatisfaction” with the system could lead to an exodus of talented leaders. “The time is long past due [for per-
sonnel-system reform],” Carson said. Drawing comparisons with corporate America, he added that although DoD can’t pay as much as companies such as Google, it must give servicemembers new missions to inspire continued service. In order to recruit and retain troops, Carson wants “the services [to] be beds of experimentation.” To address this, DoD is in the midst of conducting a six-month study of DoD’s personnel management system. Some changes being considered are common private-sector practices, such as flexibility
38 MILITARY OFFICER AUGUST 2015
in choosing assignments and talent-based, rather than time-in-service, promotions. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter hopes to implement findings from the study within the next 18 months. “It’s an ambitious timeline that seems to be based more on how much time folks have left in office rather than feasibility in implementation,” says MOAA Direc- tor of Government Relations Col. Mike Hayden, USAF (Ret).
Changes to the personnel system could come at an interesting time for the services. DoD also is preparing to make some of the biggest changes to military compensation in a generation. “The need to make such a change is
well recognized,” Carson said. “It’s taken a while to have a catalyst at the top of DoD in Secretary Ash Carter. He wants to make it a priority.” MOAA supports reviewing the current personnel system and learning from the private sector to encourage better talent management. However, it’s im- perative that reforms take into account the needs of troops while also meeting service requirements. “Just because it works in the board-
room does not always mean that it will work on the battlefield,” Hayden says. “The conditions of service are vastly dif- ferent, and the need to keep well-trained and experienced personnel is essential to maintaining the all-volunteer force.” MOAA will continue to track the prog- ress of the study. MO
— Contributors are Col. Mike Hayden, USAF (Ret), director; Col. Mike Barron, USA (Ret); Col. Bob Norton, USA (Ret); Capt. Kathy Beasley, USN (Ret); Col. Phil Odom, USAF (Ret); Cmdr. René Campos, USN (Ret); Karen Golden; Jamie Naughton; and Trina Fitzgerald, MOAA’s Gov- ernment Relations Department. To subscribe to MOAA’s Legislative Update, visit
www.moaa .org/email.
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