Brig. Gen. Joseph P. McGee, the director of the Army Talent Management Task Force, visited Fort Hood March 19 to discuss upcoming changes on how the Army will better identify and select commissioned officers for future assignments.
McGee stressed the importance of identifying the strengths and talents of each Soldier so that they can be put in a position to improve their unit and the Army as a whole, even if those positions are not part of their standard branch tract.
"It doesn't have to do with rank, it doesn't have to do with how well you were a battalion or brigade commander," McGee said. "It has a lot to do with what skill sets you need in those jobs to be able to succeed, and then how you can see those skill sets so you can put them into the right positions so they can contribute in the maximum way to accomplish the Army's mission."
As part of the shift from a more traditional career path, the Talent Management Task Force has begun the expansion of the Assignment Interaction Module 2.0, which allows Soldiers to upload résumés and provide a more personal description of themselves and their career goals.
In turn, leaders of potential gaining units are able to search for Soldiers within AIM 2.0, whose talents, skills and knowledge best align with the organization's needs. Leaders that are able to more accurately gauge the workforce will help determine the right Soldier, in the right job, at the right time.
"I think the changes in the program will really help, especially for those like me in Forward Support Company," said 1st Lt. Thompson Manuszak, the maintenance control officer for Juliet FSC, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment. "My senior rater compares me to infantry and armorer officers, which means I'm almost guaranteed to never get a top slot just because my battalion commander is an infantry officer."
"I do think, in the long-term, I'll be fairly compared to my peers, because at the end of the day, it's like comparing apples to oranges in my personal opinion."
For Soldiers on Fort Hood, the discussion helped build optimism for their future, and the progress of their Army careers.
"I'll be a part of that first generation of officers that are transitioning into the new system, so I think it will be a very interesting experience to go through," Manuszak said. "I think I'll have a bit more control over my career than I would have had before."
Social Sharing