The Case For JPME Phase Zero: Building A Joint Culture in the United States Navy from the Ground Up

Abstract

Abstract : Since the Goldwater-Nichols Act was enacted in 1986, the Navy has not fully embraced jointness within its service culture. Analysis shows that the Navy's natural culture of independence, shaped by a combination of operating environment and traditional service values, continues to produce a significant barrier to the injection of joint concepts. This paper argues that this barrier can more easily be overcome by beginning joint education for all naval officers prior to commissioning and initial tactical tours. It is proposed that a new joint education program, called JPME Phase Zero, be created to offer specific classroom instruction and summer training to expose midshipmen to joint concepts during the pre-commissioning pipeline. Taught by a joint faculty in a newly created Joint Military Operations Department at the Naval Academy, the JPME Phase Zero program should be aligned with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Vision for Joint Officer Development through the Military Education Coordination Council (MECC) and Process for Accreditation of Joint Education (PAJE). Additionally, it is recommended that JPME Phase Zero be taught to all OCS and NROTC graduates in the summer after their commissioning at the Naval Academy, which will standardize the training for all junior officers and reinforce the bond between all naval officers and the Naval Academy. Although significant counterarguments exist for devoting the resources to make this proposal a reality, JPME Phase Zero is worth the investment because of the increased complexity of the military operating environment and emphasis on joint warfare. By implementing this program in the next few years as detailed in this paper, the Navy can give every naval officer a predisposition to jointness and fix its culture from the ground up.