Norfolk:The Pentagon is revising its approach to assessing officers for promotion to general and admiral as part of an effort to streamline procedures and ensure merit-based advancement among senior leaders. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced this change on Tuesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Hegseth revealed in a video posted on social media platform X that the Defense Department plans to implement the 'Joint Warfighter Evaluation' for eligible colonels and navy captains this year. This battlefield-style assessment will evaluate officers under consideration for one-star positions based on their ability to "fight, adapt, and win."

Hegseth emphasized that while noncommissioned officers and petty officers form the backbone of the military, victory also hinges on the commanders who lead them. He argued for the selection of commanders based on proven competence rather than mere credentials.

Internal documents obtained by The Hill indicate that each military branch will have its own version of the evaluation. The army's approach will include a written test coupled with a digital wargame. The air force and space force will implement a two-hour online analysis test followed by a one-hour simulation. Navy officers will face a three-hour written assessment and a two-to-three-hour wargame at the Naval War College. The marine corps will employ an eight-hour remote evaluation using an AI-enabled platform that integrates written assessments with situational judgment tests. Additionally, the Joint Staff will evaluate 50 to 60 students from the Joint Forces Staff College through a process starting with written analysis and concluding with an in-person, AI-enabled execution phase in Norfolk, Virginia.

The Hill also reported criticism of Hegseth from some congressional members, particularly over his dismissal of a significant number of generals and top officers. In July, Senator Susan Collins, a Republican and chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, expressed concern over Hegseth's firing of more than two dozen senior military officers since assuming office and his blocking of officer promotions, describing the situation as "deeply troubling."