1. I have completed all of the requirements for Joint Qualified Officer (JQO). What do I need to do now?
Nothing, other than verifying all your qualifications are documented in your OSR (JPME Phase I & JPME Phase II or Full JPME, and Full Joint Tour).
The nomination process is automatic once all requirements are met. A JQO nomination package is provided to the Joint Staff on a monthly basis. The Joint Staff validates the nominated officers' qualifications and forwards the nomination list to OSD for formal designation. This nomination to designation process normally takes 2 - 3 months. Only after we receive the official designation letter can we apply the JS5 AQD (Level III JQS/JQO) to an officer's record.
2. How long will I have to serve in my joint tour before I can get full credit?
Joint tour lengths for Field Grade JDAL billets are 36 months (includes O-3s serving in O-4 billets). There are provisions and waivers that may facilitate an earlier departure, but at no less than 22 months with full joint tour credit. Anything less than 22 months will only earn accrued joint credit. These timeframes are based on a day-for-day calculation.
3. What experiences will be considered eligible for receiving experience based (E-JDA) joint tour credit under the Joint Qualification System (JQS)?
Under JQS the following experiences may be eligible for E-JDA credit through the self-nomination process:
- Matters relating to the achievement of unified action by integrated military forces
- Matters relating to national military strategy
- Strategic planning and contingency planning
- Command and control of operations under unified command
- National security planning with other departments and agencies of the United States government
- Combined operations with military forces of allied nations
Click here for the definition of "Joint Matters"
4. I am a member of the Reserve Component. Am I eligible under the Joint Qualification System (JQS)?
Yes. Reserve Component officers may receive joint credit for qualifying joint assignments designated under Title 10 U.S. Code Chapter 38 going back to 1986 and for joint experiences on or after 11 September 2001 under the experience-based provisions of the JQS. Qualifying joint assignments going back to 1986 include service in billets on the JDAL or a qualifying organization (e.g., service on the Joint Staff, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Combatant Command headquarters or Defense Agency headquarters only). RC officers who perform periodic duty while assigned to a billet on the Joint Duty Assignment List (JDAL) may accrue joint credit in accordance with the criteria prescribed in DoDI 1300.19, enclosure (13).
5. Where can I get JPME Phase II?
The Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Air Force Senior War Colleges are accredited for JPME Phase II; however, completion of JPME Phase I is a prerequisite for attendance.
Additionally, ICAF & National (in DC) and JAWS (taught at the Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC) in Norfolk, VA) are all ten month programs that provide Full JPME credit (both Phase I & II). JFSC also has a ten-week JPME Phase II option (Joint Combined Warfighting School (JCWS)) with four classes per year. Completion of JPME Phase I is a prerequisite for JCWS attendance.
Ask your detailer for the current dates and whether or not your career path supports attendance.
6. What rank must an officer be for Joint Qualified Officer (JQO) designation?
An officer must be in the grade of O-4 or above to be designated a JQO (aka JQS Level III), however any officer may be designated as Joint Qualification Level II (JQ2) if they have accumulated any combination of 18 points (E-JDA and/or accrued S-JDA) and completed JPME I.
7. Do I need to complete JPME Phase I in order to be considered for a Joint Job?
No, As long as the job you are being considered for is coded as "non-critical" or JD1 (ask your detailer) you can be ordered into that billet. If the billet you are considering is a JD2 or a "critical billet" then you need to be a JQO in order to be assigned.
8. I am a member of the Reserve Component. What steps should I be taking?
Review your service record for fitness reports or other documentation of joint assignments, billets, and exercises. If you completed JPME I from the Naval War College or some other source, and have completed AJPME, ensure they are documented.
9. Why do Reserve Component officers have a larger window for qualifying experiences?
The Reserve Component lacked the opportunity to receive joint credit since implementation of the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986. Because of the tempo of current operations, and the need for RC personnel capable of working in a joint environment, RC officers may be retroactively awarded joint qualification points for service in joint duty assignments for which Active Component members would have previously received joint credit.
10. How is joint experience recognized under the Joint Qualification System?
The Joint Qualification System (JQS) is points-based and introduces a point accrual formula which takes into account the environment and intensity of the joint experience as well as the duration and frequency of the experience.
11. When can I begin my JPME?
You must be an O-3 in order to enroll in any of the distance learning curriculum that is available from the Naval War College or the Air Command and Staff College. You can also get JPME Phase I while attending the Naval Postgraduate School. As for Phase II you must have Phase I complete and be an O-4.
12. How does the new Joint Qualification System (JQS) affect me if I was already designated as a Joint Specialty Officer (JSO)?
Officers who were JSO designated were automatically redesignated as Joint Qualified Officers (JQOs). This is also known as Joint Qualification Level III under the JQS.
13. How do I enroll for JPME Phase I?
Please see our "Joint Professional Military Education (JPME)" page on this website for information.
14. What counts toward joint experience/qualification points under the Joint Qualification System (JQS)?
Officers receive joint experience/qualification points via:
1) Any assignment/duty with direct relevance to the Title 10 definition of “joint matters,” and
2) joint training, joint exercise, or other military education determined by the CJCS to provide expertise in “joint matters.”
See our “JQS E-JDA Self Nomination” and “JQS E-JDA Discretionary Points” pages for more information.
15. When should I self-nominate for Joint experience credit?
Officers should submit their self-nominated joint experiences to their respective AC/RC Service Managers via the DMDC portal within 1 year of completing their joint experience.
16. How do I get enrolled for JPME Phase II?
As with all in-residence JPME programs; availability is extremely limited. Accordingly, you will need to work through your detailer to obtain a quota.
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Please contact your respective component JQS Service Manager (see below for email address) if you do not see the answer to your question here or anywhere else under the Joint Officer webpages.
Active Component JQS Service Manager
Com: (901) 874-3493
DSN: 882–3493
Email: AC_JQS_Manager@navy.mil
Reserve Component JQS Service Manager
Com: (901) 874-3191
DSN: 882-3191
Email: Mill_RC_JQS_Manager@navy.mil
