Sec. 572. REVIEW AND REPORTS ON POLICIES FOR REGULAR AND RESERVE OFFICER CAREER MANAGEMENT

724 words·~3 min read·/statute-compilations/comps-13932/sec-572

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

## SEC. 572 REVIEW AND REPORTS ON POLICIES FOR REGULAR AND RESERVE OFFICER CAREER MANAGEMENT ###

(a)Review Required The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall conduct a review of the policies of the Department of Defense for the career management of regular and reserve officers of the Armed Forces pursuant to the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act (commonly referred to as “DOPMA”) and the Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act (commonly referred to as “ROPMA”). ###

(b)Elements of Review The review required by subsection

(a)shall include the following: ####

(1)A statistical analysis, based on exit surveys and other data available to the military departments, on the impact that current personnel policies under the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act have on recruiting and retention of qualified regular and reserve officers of the Armed Forces. Specifically, the statistical analysis shall include an estimate of the number of officers who leave the Armed Forces each year because of dissatisfaction with the current personnel policies, including career progression, promotion policies, and a perceived lack of opportunity for schooling and broadening assignments. ####

(2)An analysis of the extent to which current personnel policies inhibit the professional development of officers. ####

(3)An analysis of the impact that increased flexibility in promotion, assignments, and career length would have on officer competency in their military occupational specialties. ####

(4)An analysis of the efficacy of officer talent management systems currently used by the military departments. ####

(5)An analysis of the benefits and limitations of the current promotion timelines and the “up-or-out” system required by policy and law. ####

(6)An analysis of the reasons and frequency with which officers in the grade of O-3 or above are passed over for promotion to the next higher grade, particularly those officers who have pursued advanced degrees, broadening assignments, and non-traditional career patterns. ####

(7)The utility and feasibility of creating new competitive categories or an independent career and promotion path for officers in low-density military occupational specialties. ####

(8)An analysis of how best to encourage and facilitate the recruitment and retention of officers with technical expertise. ####

(9)The utility and feasibility of encouraging officers to pursue careers of lengths that vary from the traditional 20-year military career and the mechanisms that could be employed to encourage officers to pursue these varying career lengths. ####

(10)An analysis of what actions have been or could be taken within current statutory authority to address officer management challenges. ####

(11)An analysis of what actions can be taken by the Armed Forces to change the institutional culture regarding commonly held perceptions on appropriate promotion timelines, career progression, and traditional career patterns. ####

(12)An analysis of how the Armed Forces can avoid an officer corps disproportionately weighted toward officers serving in the grades of major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel and Navy grades of lieutenant commander, commander, and captain, if statutory officer grade caps are relaxed. ####

(13)The utility and feasibility of allowing officers to repeatedly and seamlessly transition between active duty and reserve active-status throughout the course of their military careers. ####

(14)An analysis of the current officer force-shaping authorities and any changes needed to these authorities to improve recruiting, retention, and readiness. ####

(15)An analysis of any other matters the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate to improve the effective recruitment and retention of officers. ###

(c)Reporting Requirements ####

(1)Initial report Not later than March 1, 2018, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report evaluating the impact on officer retention of granting promotion boards the authority to recommend officers of particular merit be placed at the top of the promotion list. ####

(2)Complete report Not later than July 31, 2018, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report setting forth the results of the review conducted under subsection (a). ####

(3)Scope of report If any recommendation of the Secretary of Defense in a report required by this subsection requires legislative or administrative action for implementation, the report shall include a proposal for legislative action, or a description of administrative action, as applicable, to implement such recommendation.