The Officer Personnel Management System (OPMS) review, outlined in the Spring 2005 issue of Perspective, identified a number of changes to meet the needs of an Army at war while transforming. The changes focus on developing the competencies required of Army officers in the 21st century security environment and synchronizing the personnel management system with the operational battle rhythm.
HRC established the OPMS Task Force to review and recommend changes for an OPMS that achieves specific objectives.
The foundation of the evolving OPMS is the functionally aligned OPMS design. All officers should understand this revised design and be familiar with key implementation dates.
Develop Skills Required Today and Tomorrow
Growing adaptive, multi-skilled officers capable of operating in the 21st century security environment requires opportunities for broadening perspectives. The task force has been instrumental in implementing a number of initiatives that provide broader officer development, including the Expanded Graduate School program (see Winter/Spring Perspective, pg 7).
Building leaders with expeditionary competencies also requires recognition of Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational (JIIM) experience beyond formal Joint Duty Assignment List (JDAL) credit. The Vice Chief of Staff of the Army recently approved providing officers with additional assignment opportunities outside DoD to gain greater developmental breadth. These short-term opportunities (e.g., detail up to 90 days) focus on "just-in-time" as well as "just-in-case" development and complement graduate education. The task force also is developing better means to capture JIIM experience.
and Group Skills Functionally to Meet Army Requirements
The Army OPMS must align branches and functional areas consistent with joint doctrine, focusing on development of multi-skilled leaders. The task force presented a functionally aligned OPMS design to the Chief of Staff of the Army, which became effective Sept. 5.
The functionally aligned OPMS design comprises categories and groups composed of branches and functional areas with similar battlefield functions, to facilitate the development of the broader functional competencies required in the 21st century officer. To support officer management and development under this design, the Officer Personnel Management Directorate (OPMD), HRC-Alexandria, reorganized this summer. The three approved functional categories and associated functional groups are shown in the chart accompanying this article.
Implementing the design requires coding multi-functional positions that facilitate the development of multi-skilled leaders. Working with the proponents, the task force identified a small number of positions (approximately 10 percent of the senior major and junior lieutenant colonel positions) which could be accessible to officers with the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities. The CSA approved the position coding to allow broader access. Within this "position access" construct, officers can gain broadening experiences by filling identified positions within functional groups, within functional categories or across functional categories of the functionally-aligned design. Over the next six months, the positions will be refined and coded so officers with the appropriate skills or training can serve in these shared positions and benefit from the experience.
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Shift Career Paths -- less prescriptive, less timeline-driven
Deputy Chief of Staff G-1 revised DA Pamphlet 600-3, Commissioned Officer Development and Career Management, in 2005 to reflect an OPMS model emphasizing broader career paths with joint and interagency experience earlier in an officer's career. The next version of this critical document will include another update to the model, reflecting even broader development within the new functional categories.
To achieve the required shift in career paths, HRC has modified various processes, beginning with the elimination of the functional area designation and the creation of two functional designation opportunities -- one in the fourth year of service and one in the seventh year -- to best support the requirements for functional-area officers in the modular forces.
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In support of shifting career paths to be less command-centric, the task force also presented a concept centered on a revised definition of "command," which the CSA approved (see pg. 7). The Task Force reviewed Centralized Select List (CSL) categories, policy and procedures to refine the command and key billet lists, and recently announced broader competitive categories for certain commanders, allowing more officers with the right skills and experience to compete.
Recruit and Retain Professionals with a Warrior Ethos Inspired to a Lifetime of Service
Working with the G-1 staff and the Office of Economic and Manpower Analysis, the task force recommended cadets be offered incentives in exchange for accepting longer Active Duty Service Obligations (ADSO). The incentives include branch of choice, post of choice, or a guarantee of graduate school in exchange for a commitment by the cadet to add three years to their ADSO. This initiative was implemented this year for select cadets in the U.S. Military Academy and Cadet Command (ROTC) with outstanding results overall.
The task force continues to refine and develop an appropriate menu of incentives for junior officers, potentially including a retention bonus as well as the expanded graduate school opportunities already in place. As incentives and new programs are available, they are posted to the Commander's Officer Retention Toolkit (CORT) on the HRC website at https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/active/opfamdd/LDD12.htm.
The Way Ahead
The next review cycle will focus on integrating Reserve Component officers and warrant officers. Additionally, the task force will continue working to fully implement the CSA-directed changes, including the OPMD reorganization, the coding of multi-functional positions and creation of the system to support position access, and communication of all changes to the field as they occur.
The task force continues to gather input from the field on all aspects of the OPMS as well as providing updates to the field through multiple channels. See the OPMS Community Page on AKO (page 253639) at www.us.army.mil/suite/page/253639. We welcome your feedback on how we can make these pages most useful..