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TITLE VIII--ACQUISITION POLICY, ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT, AND RELATED MATTERS

Subtitle D—Provisions Relating to Acquisition Workforce

P. L. 114-

House Conference Report. 114-270

(a) Requirement for Chief of Staff involvement.—Section 1722a(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after “military department)” the following: “, in collaboration with the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps (with respect to the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, respectively),”.

(b) Dual-track career path.—Section 1722a(b) of such title is amended—

(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively;

(2) in paragraph (1), by inserting “single-track” before “career path”; and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraph (2):

“(2) A dual-track career path that attracts the highest quality officers and enlisted personnel and allows them to gain experience in and receive credit for a primary career in combat arms and a functional secondary career in the acquisition field in order to more closely align the military operational, requirements, and acquisition workforces of each armed force.”.

The Senate amendment contained a similar provision (sec. 503) that would provide for an enhanced dual track career path in combat arms and a functional secondary career in acquisition to more closely align military operational requirements and acquisition and include business and commercial training as joint professional military education.

The Senate recedes.

The conferees encourage the Secretary to ensure that the curriculum for Phase II joint professional military education includes matters in acquisition to ensure the successful performance in the acquisition or acquisition related fields.

House Report 114-201 to accompany H. R. 1735 as it was reported out of the House Armed Services Committee.

Section 812--Dual-Track Military Professionals in Operational and Acquisition Specialties

This section would amend section 1722a of title 10, United States Code, by reinstituting a dual-tracking system of primary and functional secondary career fields for officers and noncommissioned officers serving in acquisition positions by dual-tracking such personnel in operational and acquisition career fields under the shared accountability and responsibility of the military service chiefs and component acquisition executives for career path management and selections. This section would create a needed balance of experience between acquisition and operations.

Senate Report 114-49 to accompany S. 1376 as it was reported out of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Enhancement of military personnel authorities in connection with the defense acquisition workforce (sec. 503)

The committee recommends a provision that would improve the management of the military acquisition workforce and enhance the quality and effectiveness of military acquisition personnel. The committee is concerned that in the years since the passage of the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-433) the Department of Defense senior leadership's focus on the importance of the military acquisition workforce has declined. This provision is designed to increase the attractiveness of acquisition functions to skilled military officers and enlisted personnel and would: (1) provide for credit for joint duty assignments for acquisition related assignments in order to broaden the promotion preference and career opportunities of military acquisition professionals; (2) provide for an enhanced dual track career path in combat arms and a functional secondary career in acquisition to more closely align military operational requirements and acquisition; (3) include business and commercial training as joint professional military education; and (4) require an annual report to Congress on promotion rates for officers in acquisition positions.