The U.S. Army has canceled its Command Assessment Program, which evaluated candidates for promotion and was implemented “with the stated goal of reducing conscious and unconscious biases,” as Military Times reported.
Good riddance.
Promotions across @DeptofDefense will ONLY be based on merit & performance. pic.twitter.com/ttGRGsIByA
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) September 3, 2025
A 2022 paper published in the U.S. Army War College Quarterly noted of the program:
The Army’s Command Assessment Program executes a comprehensive battery of evaluations to assess talent for command positions while taking measures to minimize bias. … A panel conducts double-blind interviews of the candidates behind a screen to limit unconscious bias related to race and ethnicity. Panel members participate in antibias training just before the initial interview process and receive a shorter refresher each day they serve on the panel.
Individuals who have previously worked with candidates are asked to complete the Army Commander Evaluation Tool, which is intended to reflect fitness for command and identify counterproductive behaviors. These processes (double-blind interview, bias training, and anonymous peer and subordinate feedback) are notable examples of processes put in place to combat bias and should be considered best practices.
“The Army has embraced talent management transformation amid the backdrop of a global pandemic that has altered the way Americans work, and the Army has done so amid civil unrest that has resulted in part from systemic racism,” the paper claimed. “Diversity can refer to both demographics and thought. Diversity of thought, termed ‘cognitive diversity,’ may arise from variations in background, experience and perspective. One framework for diversity consists of primary dimensions, such as age, sexual orientation, physical abilities, race, gender, spiritual beliefs, and class …”
The Command Assessment Program replaced the Army’s Centralized Selection Board/List, which was not based on peer evaluations and behavioral analysis. “Former Army Secretary Christine Wormuth made CAP an official program of record just days before President Donald Trump took office,” Military Times pointed out.
“More than half of the Army’s senior officers are turning down opportunities to command … Historically, 85% of those participants have been deemed fit for command. Yet this year, 54% of eligible officers voluntarily chose not to participate — a significant uptick from the 40% average opt-out rate seen since 2019,” Military.com reported last December.
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