BiblioScholar Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986: Time for an Update to Joint Officer Personnel Management?

The Goldwater-Nichols Reorganization Act (GNA) of 1986 was the most sweeping legislation related to the Department of Defense (DoD) organizational reform after World War II. With an overarching objective of enhancing "jointness", unifying the direction of the armed forces under joint doctrine and policies for the employmentof multi-service military forces, throughout the DoD, the practical purpose was to improve warfighting capabilities. This legislation was based upon implicit assumptions about threats and organizational needs which many feel have since changed. This report focuses on the joint officer personnel management aspects ofthe GNA legislation and on how officer personnel management has evolved as aresult of the mandates of the Act. As currently administered, DoD predicts that it is nearing a time of reporting non-compliance with certain provisions of the law. In addition, DoD finds that the law prevents the recording of some significant joint experiences for certain officers, and that the law prevents the utilization of technological advances in distributive and distance learning in association with joint professional military education. The report offers options for congressional consideration which would continue the status quo, would allow for changes in the law to maintain the progress in joint officer management which was originally envisioned, or would allow for additional study. This report will not be updated.