How to Navigate the Joint Qualification System and Gain Joint Credit via the Experience-Based Joint Duty Assignment Board

By U.S. Army Lt. Col. Drew Lanier, Joint Policy Branch Chief, Officer Personnel Management Directorate, U.S. Army Human Resources Command

When officers discuss joint qualification, many associate earning joint credit by serving in a billet on the Joint Duty Assignment List (JDAL), also known as a Standard Joint Duty Assignment (S-JDA). However, JDALs and S-JDAs are not the only route to joint qualification.

Approximately 10% of officers who gain Joint Qualification Level II, commonly associated with the 3A additional skill identifier (ASI), gain their qualification by submitting their non-JDAL joint experience through the Joint Qualification System (JQS) for consideration by an Experience-Based Joint Duty Assignment (E-JDA) Board. These experiences can be comprised of an officer's duty on a deployment, during CONUS or OCONUS training, in support of an embassy, in conjunction with an interagency assignment, in conjunction with a non-JDAL assignment in the Department of Defense (DoD) or a Combatant Command (COCOM), or similar.

First, it is essential to know what the E-JDA board looks for before submitting a JQS packet. E-JDA board members are tasked to determine if a submitted experience meets the ‘joint matters' criteria in accordance with Title 10 U.S.C, Section 668, and further explained in DoD Instruction 1300.19 and CJCS Instruction 1330.05. E-JDA boards determine whether submissions should receive joint credit for time served due to significant experience in joint matters.

The DoD requires competent officers experienced in integrating the joint military capabilities as defined in joint doctrine, specifically Joint Publication l (JP-1), and this competency is earned from joint experience at the strategic level. Simply performing duties in a joint environment or joint organization does not automatically constitute joint matters experience. A close assessment of the officer's specific responsibilities is required to ensure they served in a qualifying joint matters experience.

The E-JDA board members validate officers' experiences and award credit to joint warfighters who can think strategically, optimize joint capabilities, apply strategic and operational art, and have a joint perspective. The joint matters experience provides the foundation where joint officer development moves from the conceptual to the actual.

Second, officers need to know what are 'joint matters' so they can accurately articulate their experience for consideration by the board. The definition of joint matters consists of the "who" and the "what." The "who" refers to military forces that are involved in achieving unified action with participants from more than one military department, and other departments and agencies of the United States, the military forces or agencies of other countries, or non-governmental persons.

There is no predetermined amount of interaction officers must have with the aforementioned entities that constitutes being joint experienced. The experience must surpass performing a "Service" mission with a few officers from a different Service or country. Relevant factors include the functions performed, the level of the organization where interaction occurs, the nature of the interaction (policy, doctrine, plans, etc.), and the frequency and amount of the interaction.

Recognizing the "who" portion of the joint matters' definition is often the easier part to document; identifying the "what" is more challenging. The "what'' includes developing or achieving strategic objectives through the synchronization, coordination, and organization of integrated forces in operations conducted across domains. These domains can include land, sea, air, space or in the information environment. The optimal joint matters experiences require officers to interact with and contribute their best advice and judgement to senior leaders making operational decisions.

Third, understanding the board process and trends is also critical to success. E-JDA boards meet three times per year, typically in February, June, and September, considering the merits of the JQS packets submitted. Five O7s sit on each Colonel level E-JDA board, one from each Service plus the Joint Staff J1. Similarly, five O6s are tasked to sit on each Lieutenant Colonel and below board. For a JQS packet to be approved, three of the five voting members need to vote that the officer's experience meets the joint matters criteria provided in the Memorandum of Instruction (MOI). Each board member will certify a determination on significant experience in joint matters without divulging votes or board deliberations.

Of the previous two E-JDA boards, the Army's approval rates for submitted Colonel packets were 76% and 75%, and Lieutenant Colonel and below packets were 70% and 88%. The disapproval reasons for both boards are generally consistent over time: one-third are due to the experience not meeting the definition of 'joint matters'; one-fifth are due to the experience being too 'Service (Army) centric'; and the remainder being 'too tactical' in nature.

Officers who believe they served in a joint capacity outside of a valid S-JDA or JDAL position can apply for joint credit via the E-JDA process. Officers must submit the required documentation within one year of completing that duty through the JQS self-nomination website located at: https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect/.

Officers will complete the Joint Experience Summary (JES), a one-page narrative that outlines the “who” and the “what” of the joint experience for consideration by the board. It is recommended that each submission have at least four of the seven categories in Part IV completed. The JQS process requires that awards, orders, evaluations, travel vouchers, and other substantiating documentation be uploaded to the JQS website for validation, but in most cases, the board will not see these documents. Therefore, the JES must be well written and serve as a stand-alone summary fully representing the officer's joint experience.

As an example, an officer who served on a Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) assignment may include narratives similar to below for four of the seven categories in Part IV of the JQS application. Contributions and achievements must accurately reflect your experience. Note: the below is for reference only and is by no means an approved solution:

•  Strategic Planning – Interacted and planned with host nation partners, and coordinated with DoS and DoD partners in the synchronization of Joint Exercises, Joint Partner Training, and Joint Operations. Coordinated with DoD and DoS partners in the planning and execution of SFAB Team sustainment operations while conducting deployed operations. 

•  Contingency Planning - Conducted operations in support of GCC “Competition Phase” operations. Operated in a joint environment reporting directly to the DoS and Embassy, and coordinated information sharing across joint forces. Oversaw routine coordination with DoS, SETAF, and AFRICOM to ensure that SFAB Teams were fully integrated into the strategic and operational mission.

•  National Security Planning with Other Departments and Agencies of the U.S. - Synchronized and prioritized resources, capabilities, and analysis with other Services on matters of national security. Integrated planning efforts with national agencies and foreign partners into operations, and coordinated for assets with the JSOTF and the Embassy.

•  Combined Operations with Military Forces of Allied Nations – As a team lead, I personally trained, advised, and enabled multilateral operations with partner nations, and often worked in tandem with US Navy, US Marine Corps, and US Air Force conventional and special operations organizations, and coalition conventional and special operations groups. Collectively, my team trained over 3,000 partnered soldiers and conducted more than 280 multilateral operations. 

For an officer to meet the eligibility requirements for the 3A ASI and be designated a Joint Duty Assignment Qualified Officer, they must achieve full tour credit in a valid S-JDA position or acquire 24 points via the E-JDA process, or a combination of the two. They also must have completed Joint Professional Military Education Level I, the Command and General Staff College, or an equivalent course.

The 3A ASI is also commensurate with Joint Qualification Level II designation. For an officer to meet the eligibility requirements for the 3L ASI (Joint Qualification Officer Level III [JQO III]) and be designated a Joint Qualified Officer (JQO), they must meet all criteria listed above for the 3A ASI and must have completed Joint Professional Military Education Level II. Once the above requirements are met the officer is nominated for the JQO III designation (and 3L ASI) for approval by the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Officers applying for E-JDA credit who deployed to an Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) area can potentially receive twice the point credit if the location qualified for an Intensity Factor of Two (IF2) for their time served. However, per the recency rule to be fully joint qualified, the officer must have served at least 365 days as a major or above in the experience, or in multiple experiences that add up to at least 365 days. In addition, a maximum of six discretionary points may be derived from joint training, education, and exercises.

If you have any questions, or would like to access other joint duty resources, please visit the HRC Joint Policy Branch website, which can be found at the following URL: https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Joint%20Policy%20Branch%20FAQs.

Lt. Col. Drew Lanier is a senior human resources officer who currently serves as the Joint Policy Branch Chief, Officer Personnel Management Directorate, U.S. Army Human Resources Command. He previously served as the Human Resources Command secretary of the General Staff, United States Military Academy deputy G1, and 101st Airborne Division Sustainment brigade S1. He is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, Adjutant General Captains Career Course, Field Artillery Basic Officer Leaders Course, and he holds a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy, and a Master’s in Leadership and Management from Webster University. In June 2022, he will assume command of the 369th Adjutant General Battalion at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.