Succession Management for Senior Military Positions: The Rumsfeld Model for Secretary of Defense Involvement

During his second tenure as Secretary of Defense, Donald H. Rumsfeld considerably revised the process for selecting senior U.S. military officers for top-ranking positions. The authors examine these changes and how the process evolved after Rumsfeld left office in 2006. They also identify key system attributes that defense officials should consider as they contemplate how senior officer selection and assignments will be managed.