Succession management for senior military positions

Andrew R. Hoehn

Before Donald H. Rumsfeld entered his second tenure as Secretary of Defense in 2001, the selection of senior U.S. military officers for top-ranking positions within the Department of Defense (DoD) was largely decided within the uniformed services, and the Secretary of Defense did not typically challenge the recommendations. However, to support his goal of transforming the defense establishment, Rumsfeld decided to become personally involved in the selection process. Rumsfeld's changes resulted in a process that featured long-term succession planning, identified qualifications for senior positions, built a slate of highly qualified officers, and sought to arrive at a series of "best fit" decisions for the top military positions. The process also focused on planning for the future by identifying highly capable leaders and associating them with a series of assignments that would prepare...