The Pentagon is implementing a new assessment for promoting generals, focusing on battlefield decisions and complex military problem-solving. This marks a major shift in selecting future leaders across all military branches.
According to documents obtained by Fox News Digital, each military service has crafted its own Joint Warfighting Evaluation (JWE). This standardized assessment aims to evaluate operational planning, decision-making, and leadership in simulated combat situations. The Pentagon states this test will complement current performance evaluations and be considered by promotion boards starting with the fiscal year 2027 cycle.
People figure out they don’t have to be the best at their job, they have to be the best at making sure their boss thinks they’re the best,said Stu Scheller, the senior Pentagon adviser guiding this initiative.
Current evaluations are based on superiors’ reports throughout an officer’s career, which play a crucial role in promotion decisions. Scheller noted that while existing performance reports remain essential, the JWE will offer a unique measure of an officer’s ability to address military challenges they might face in command.
The JWE will vary across services, using online simulations and in-person wargames. Some versions require officers to encounter problems and make decisions as AI adversaries respond in real-time. The Army plans remote written tests followed by digital wargames for colonels, whereas the Air Force will conduct online analysis tests and interactive simulations. The Navy demands officers travel to the Naval War College for intensive assessments. Meanwhile, the Marine Corps combines remote evaluations with AI-enabled platforms.
Scheller clarified that these exercises can’t entirely mimic combat pressures, and adjustments will be made based on their effectiveness. We’re not trying to come up with the perfect solution right out the gate,
he stated.
The existing promotion system remains, and the JWE will serve as an added factor. The exact influence of the new data point hasn’t been determined yet. The secretary still has judgment based on how it will be weighted in the board, so we haven’t determined, we’re kind of waiting to see how well this thing is rolled out,
said Scheller.
The initial real test of this system will begin in 2027, where eligible officers will complete evaluations between February and June, preceding the promotion boards from July to September. The outcome of this cycle will inform future adjustments.
The assessment introduction is part of a broader overhaul by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who aims to promote top performers more swiftly while demoting underperformers. This involves turning evaluations and exercises into comprehensive tests.
Hegseth has also ordered reductions in high-ranking officers, including active-duty four-star positions, and played a direct role in promotion decisions, sometimes removing officers from promotion lists.
These significant changes have prompted criticism and concern from certain lawmakers, military officers, and analysts wary of political influence on the process.
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