Dennis Blair: Pentagon purge a sign of dangerous times ahead

Former commander in chief of the US Pacific Command, Dennis Blair, delivers a speech at a conference of the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF) in Tokyo on April 13, 2015. (YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP via Getty Images)

The Trump administration’s recent Department of Defense leadership changes are unprecedented in their scale and riskiness. Far from bringing fresh and smart perspectives to national security, they are most likely to weaken the combat effectiveness of the armed forces at a dangerous time for the United States.

A diverse officer corps at all ranks produces higher combat effectiveness because it is drawn from a wider and deeper talent pool. The armed forces have learned over the years that not all the best military leaders are white males, and that we need to draw from the best leadership talent in the 35 percent of Americans who are not white and the 50 percent who are not male.

The armed forces bring in the best people they can attract at the start of the very competitive merit-based “up or out” promotion system. The larger the talent pool from which the entrants are drawn at the bottom, the better will be the leaders at all levels through the very top four-star positions.

Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps colonels and Navy captains have been tested and judged, and the best of them promoted through a dozen jobs over twenty-five-year careers. Only 3 percent of them are selected for general and admiral. Further promotion only gets more selective as the jobs become tougher: The roughly 300 one-star flag and general officers ultimately are winnowed down to just 38 four-star generals and admirals at the highest levels of command.

Gen. CQ Brown, the most senior African-American military officer in the armed forces and Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the most senior female officer in the Navy, had worked their way through this grueling obstacle course of the military promotion system with top performance at every level of command. They were the only current members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who were not white and male, and they were doing a fine job in their very difficult assignments.

Senior officers have been and should be dismissed for poor performance and for insubordination. However, the decision to dismiss Brown and Franchetti without performance-based justification will weaken the faith of all current and potential officers in the fairness of the officer promotion system and shrink the talent pool of future military leaders.

Arbitrary personnel decisions in the senior officer corps do damage beyond reducing the officer talent pool, at a time when the armed forces are fighting for talent. They also move less competent leaders into the top jobs.

The basis for promotion up the officer ranks has been superior performance, especially in operational assignments, and leadership growth potential. What has not been a factor has been connection with or sponsorship from civilian politicians or political parties. The traditions of the American military profession are operational competence, political neutrality and institutional loyalty, not political or personal loyalty or connections. Politicization of the officer corps will move the wrong people to the top military positions, where they will provide incompetent and sycophantic military advice to political leaders and poor leadership to the troops.

The experience gained in a merit-based promotion system is crucial. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the new nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, will be the least seasoned defense leadership team in modern history. Whatever their personal qualities and success early in their careers, they have not been tested in high-stakes national security leadership roles — positions where wisdom is forged under pressure, where failure carries real consequences.

History provides sobering examples of the cost of inexperience at the top. General Ambrose Burnside, General George Custer, Admiral Ralph Ghormley, General Ricardo Sanchez all had admirable personal characteristics and early careers but were not ready for the higher commands to which they were assigned.

The challenges of inexperienced leaders at the top will be compounded by removing the civilian experts. The combination of forced early retirement for senior officials and a hiring freeze of new civil servants is a shortsighted move that will save little money but likely hobble the Pentagon.

Yes, reform is needed to modernize the department. However, the problem is not the size of the civil service, but its outdated personnel system that makes it difficult to remove poor performers and reward top talent. Instead of reforming this system, the administration is choosing indiscriminate cuts that hollow out expertise when it is needed most.

Make no mistake, a weaker civilian workforce means a weaker Department of Defense — just as threats from China, Russia and rogue states demand sharper strategic thinking.

The current administration claims to support a strong military. You could have fooled me. Choosing inexperience at the highest levels, cutting without improving civilian staff, dismissing respected leaders without cause, and politicizing military promotions all point to a weakened force, not a stronger one.

These are mistakes with lasting consequences that will endanger national security and, if history is any guide, they will take blood and treasure to correct.

Admiral (ret.) Dennis Blair is the former Commander in Chief of the US Pacific Command and Director of National Intelligence.