I have long held that a (fairly) simple rework can work wonders, save us money and create a much stronger officer corps at the top. Here is my idea of a three tiered plan.
First we MUST change the statutory nature of promotions. In my ideal plan, "lineal number" would cease to be the determinator at each promotion...get a fresh start. Make the promotion timing more flexible. For example:
Make LTJG anywhere from 18 months to 2.5 years.
LT same 1.5-2.5 years (3-5 years total)
LCDR in 3-9 years (6-14 yrs)
CDR in another 4-8 years (10-22)
WHY?
Think to your past squadrons. Have you ever seen a JG performing as well or better than a LT after three years, me too. Make him one! How about a LT performing like a DH, make him an O-4 after 3 years as an LT! Same with DH's, make a CDR early. If you are the cream of the crop, fine, you rise to the top.
What about the late guys, that is ok too, we stop looking at this as a negative. We have plenty of jobs in the Navy that need a capable officer who can follow orders. Those guys who don't really lead well, are not self starters, but can follow instructions on a list...sure keep them employed to do the jobs that NEED to be done, but suck the life out of other, BETTER officers, keep those guys employed tactically.
Now this would require a change in law, and that is a hard sell, unless you can point to a way to save money. In this era of cost savings, this might be easier than we think.
This leads into my second tier...PAY.
You can drastically reduce bonus amounts, thus saving some personnel budget. If you show a person that they can advance more quickly, you motivate a greater number to perform...better people. One great side effect is that they naturally make more money sooner simply by being advanced early. No bonus required, your bonus is being a LCDR at 6 years if you are shit hot! But wait, where does this money come from? Easy, it comes from the pockets of the low hanging fruit, that mouth breather who writes the schedule and only does what he is told and never self motivates to do anything better in the squadron...that guy who took 5 years to make LT, who is still a LCDR at 14 yrs service.
I believe this would reduce the reliance on bonuses. MANY JO's I have talked with agree that bonuses are nice, but recognition and early advancement would be just fine to prove their worth to NAE.
Finally, FITREP system.
You MUST find a way to make it a true evaluation. If that new guy comes in and blows you away, give him the EP, from the beginning! The mantra stays the same, sustained superior performance. Advancement and its timing can be based on a personal quota system. No real fundamental change for the leadership here, rather than managing WHO gets the EP, you just manage HOW MANY they get. Is a guy a killer leader, ensure he gets the requisite 1-2 EP's required to make JG early. Early LT maybe takes 2 EP's as an Ensign and 2 as a JG, etc. This might require a quota for the CO's. Maybe you can only give out X number of EP's in your tour meaning you need to manage them. If you see a killer JG that walks on water, you might need to make the hard decision to have an extra LT as a P who is going to promote 6-12 months late.
Part of this FITREP system helps with bonuses too. Set an upper limit (say $25,ooo/yr) for the bonuses, but make it not only T/M/S specific, but PERFORMANCE specific. Right now you get all levels from shithead to water-walker for the same price...that is stupid. How many EP's did they get (remember they need more Eps THROUGHOUT the ranks to advance early...sustained, superior performance). Only got one EP ever, fine you get $5000 because we need the home guard babysitter OIC, 7 EP's holy shit i'll pay you $25K because you are more apt to leave and seek greener pastures, so we will make the Navy have a green pasture for YOU.
Obviously I don't have all the answers. I just know that bonuses are not the answer to the newer generation of Naval Officer. If they are there, and we want to stay in, we will take them. I know it was EASY for me to turn it down even after the amount went up a bunch. I say PROVE you value these men and women and they will stay for that alone (many of them).
First we MUST change the statutory nature of promotions. In my ideal plan, "lineal number" would cease to be the determinator at each promotion...get a fresh start. Make the promotion timing more flexible. For example:
Make LTJG anywhere from 18 months to 2.5 years.
LT same 1.5-2.5 years (3-5 years total)
LCDR in 3-9 years (6-14 yrs)
CDR in another 4-8 years (10-22)
WHY?
Think to your past squadrons. Have you ever seen a JG performing as well or better than a LT after three years, me too. Make him one! How about a LT performing like a DH, make him an O-4 after 3 years as an LT! Same with DH's, make a CDR early. If you are the cream of the crop, fine, you rise to the top.
What about the late guys, that is ok too, we stop looking at this as a negative. We have plenty of jobs in the Navy that need a capable officer who can follow orders. Those guys who don't really lead well, are not self starters, but can follow instructions on a list...sure keep them employed to do the jobs that NEED to be done, but suck the life out of other, BETTER officers, keep those guys employed tactically.
Now this would require a change in law, and that is a hard sell, unless you can point to a way to save money. In this era of cost savings, this might be easier than we think.
This leads into my second tier...PAY.
You can drastically reduce bonus amounts, thus saving some personnel budget. If you show a person that they can advance more quickly, you motivate a greater number to perform...better people. One great side effect is that they naturally make more money sooner simply by being advanced early. No bonus required, your bonus is being a LCDR at 6 years if you are shit hot! But wait, where does this money come from? Easy, it comes from the pockets of the low hanging fruit, that mouth breather who writes the schedule and only does what he is told and never self motivates to do anything better in the squadron...that guy who took 5 years to make LT, who is still a LCDR at 14 yrs service.
I believe this would reduce the reliance on bonuses. MANY JO's I have talked with agree that bonuses are nice, but recognition and early advancement would be just fine to prove their worth to NAE.
Finally, FITREP system.
You MUST find a way to make it a true evaluation. If that new guy comes in and blows you away, give him the EP, from the beginning! The mantra stays the same, sustained superior performance. Advancement and its timing can be based on a personal quota system. No real fundamental change for the leadership here, rather than managing WHO gets the EP, you just manage HOW MANY they get. Is a guy a killer leader, ensure he gets the requisite 1-2 EP's required to make JG early. Early LT maybe takes 2 EP's as an Ensign and 2 as a JG, etc. This might require a quota for the CO's. Maybe you can only give out X number of EP's in your tour meaning you need to manage them. If you see a killer JG that walks on water, you might need to make the hard decision to have an extra LT as a P who is going to promote 6-12 months late.
Part of this FITREP system helps with bonuses too. Set an upper limit (say $25,ooo/yr) for the bonuses, but make it not only T/M/S specific, but PERFORMANCE specific. Right now you get all levels from shithead to water-walker for the same price...that is stupid. How many EP's did they get (remember they need more Eps THROUGHOUT the ranks to advance early...sustained, superior performance). Only got one EP ever, fine you get $5000 because we need the home guard babysitter OIC, 7 EP's holy shit i'll pay you $25K because you are more apt to leave and seek greener pastures, so we will make the Navy have a green pasture for YOU.
Obviously I don't have all the answers. I just know that bonuses are not the answer to the newer generation of Naval Officer. If they are there, and we want to stay in, we will take them. I know it was EASY for me to turn it down even after the amount went up a bunch. I say PROVE you value these men and women and they will stay for that alone (many of them).