Guest: Ou Jianping, Director of the Institute of Army Building, National Defense University
Cai Shichuan, Associate Research Fellow, Institute of Army Construction, National Defense University
Pei Shilian, postdoctoral fellow, Department of Military Construction and Political Work, National Defense University
Aim at the world-class army
Reporter: Reforming the officer system and building a new officer management system based on rank is an inevitable choice to meet the requirements of modern army construction and operations, to meet the new leadership and command system and strength compilation, and to improve the efficiency of military human resources management. How to understand the position of the officer system in the tide of world military reform?
Ou Jianping: The advanced officer system is a remarkable feature of the world-class army. Historically, Prussia, which pioneered the professionalization of military officers, boldly abolished the military aristocracy divided by origin and implemented the system of selecting officers according to their majors, education and meritorious military service, thus becoming a world-class military power at that time. Since the Second World War, the US military has become the "leader" of the new military revolution in the world, and it has also continuously promoted the reform of the officer system, and successively issued the National Defense Human Resources Management Act, the Officer Rank Restriction Act, and the goldwater — Nichols Act and John Warner Act, to improve the professionalism of officers. In recent local wars, it is no accident that the US military has succeeded repeatedly. In today’s world, the contest of military competition seems to be a dazzling "height" of modern military technology on the surface, but its profound connotation is the "thickness" of modern military human resources, especially the "degree" of officer professionalization.
If our army wants to achieve the goal of strengthening the army, build a world-class army, and strive to gain a competitive advantage in the world military competition, it must speed up the pace of military human resources system reform and reshape our army’s officer system.
From the perspective of the deep contradictions to be solved in the national defense and army reform, the important reason why our army’s "two abilities" (the ability to fight modern wars and the ability of cadres at all levels to command modern wars) are not enough is that the policy system is relatively backward, especially the officer system has some problems, such as insufficient growth law of military talents under the condition of informationization, lack of the guidance of military professional core competence, and imperfect cadre selection and appointment mechanism. To solve these deep-seated contradictions and problems, if you don’t dare to chew hard bones and wade in dangerous beaches, you will definitely not be able to cross this flaming mountain.
At present, the reform of the leadership and command system has formed a brand-new pattern in which the military commission is in charge of the general affairs, the main battle of the theater and the main construction of the service, and the reform of the power structure and the formation of the troops has also been carried out in an all-round way. Whether these reform achievements can be consolidated and deepened depends on the reform of the policy system. Only by forming a policy system that embodies the characteristics of military occupation and enhances the sense of professional honor of military personnel can we better unite the military spirit and stabilize the troops, and ensure the smooth sailing of the reform ship to the other side of success.
Make up for the defects of the current officer system
Reporter: Since the promulgation and implementation of the current law on officers and regulations on military ranks, it has played an important role in strengthening the construction of the ranks of officers. With the development of economic and social progress and army building, some contradictions and problems are gradually exposed in some of the regulations, and some of them are still outstanding. What are the specific problems?
Cai Shichuan: Under the current officer management system, ranks are compiled according to the rank of officers. At present, the ranks range from second lieutenant to general, with a total of three grades and ten grades, and the positions range from platoon position to vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, with a rank five grades lower than the post position. There is a common phenomenon that "one rank corresponds to multiple ranks". For example, the rank of senior colonel spans deputy division, regular division and deputy army, and the rank of major general spans three job levels: deputy army, regular army and deputy region; Except for members of the Central Military Commission, all other positions correspond to two ranks. The phenomenon of "command with a flat rank" or even "command with a low rank and command with a high rank" often appears, which goes against the original intention of setting ranks to facilitate the identification of positions and the rationalization of leadership and command relations.
Under the current officer management system, the promotion of rank is not affected by rank, but it is restricted by rank. For example, if an officer’s rank is lower than the lowest rank in the new job level due to his promotion, he will be promoted to the lowest rank in the new job level ahead of schedule; On the other hand, if an officer’s rank is already the highest rank in the job grade, his rank cannot be promoted for a long time, only after his job grade is promoted. This greatly weakens the incentive function of rank.
In addition, in the current officer system, the salary, welfare and spiritual honor of officers are weakly connected with ranks, but excessively closely linked with posts. This objectively aggravates the situation of "thousands of troops crowding the official road", which is not conducive to eliminating the idea of "official standard". The ranks are weakened, the awarding targets are broad and unfocused, and the main position of combat troops and commanding officers is not highlighted. There is little difference between the ranks and titles of commanding officers, professional and technical officers and reserve officers. In terms of promotion, there is a phenomenon that professional and technical officers are faster than commanding officers, and teaching units, logistics support units and cultural performance units are faster than combat troops.
Reporter: Can the establishment of an officer rank system dominated by ranks solve the above problems?
Cai Shichuan: The rank-based officer hierarchy will gradually dilute or even cancel the job rank, and simplify, unify and clarify the hierarchical management of officers to the rank level. The implementation of positions or positions to prepare ranks, one post and one title. The objects of conferring ranks focus on command and management posts, on posts directly engaged in combat, and on posts with distinctive military characteristics that directly provide support and guarantee for combat.
The promotion of officers refers to the promotion of ranks. Officers need to obtain the qualification of rank promotion first, and when there is a vacant position, they will take office and be promoted at the same time. In terms of service life, the situation that the natural age is too heavy and the "age panic" of officers is greater than the "skill panic" is changed. The promotion and retirement of officers are mainly restricted by the rank time (title age). For example, an officer who has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel for less than three years may not be promoted to the rank of colonel; Officers who have been promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel for six years but have not yet obtained the qualification to be promoted to colonel must retire.
Scientific design is steadily advanced.
Reporter: This reform of the officer system is fundamental and systematic, involving all aspects of the service and management of officers, with unprecedented strength, depth and breadth. How to ensure that the reform of the officer system is explored, tried out and steadily promoted on the basis of relevant legal authorization?
Ou Jianping: First, strengthen system design. The reason why the previous system did not form a system is that the system construction is piecemeal and the policy adjustment is more than the system specification. This reform should outline a road map of phased, focused and engineering construction, and implement relevant tasks and specific responsibilities. The second is to grasp the key links. Adhere to the party’s management of cadres, highlight problem orientation, grasp key issues such as service, rank, classified management and qualification of officers, strengthen the orientation of fighting ability, scientifically set the career development path of officers, and strive to seek breakthroughs in important fields and key links. The third is to focus on overall optimization. The reform of the officer system is a systematic project, and we must not toss and turn "baked wheat cake" back and forth.
Pei Shilian: The adoption of the "Decision" marks the official launch of the reform of the cadre and personnel policy system, which is generally concerned by the whole army. Compared with the adjustment and reform of the "hardware system" such as the leadership and command system, scale structure and strength organization in the first two waves, the reform of the officer system, as a supporting "software program", is more complex, relevant and practical.
This reform needs to be promoted in an orderly manner according to law. In the process of reform, we should follow the procedures stipulated in the Legislative Law of People’s Republic of China (PRC), fully consider the chain reaction and contradictions that may be caused by the reform, respect the wishes of ordinary officers and soldiers, and solicit opinions from all sides. After the reform measures are mature, we should revise and improve the relevant laws such as the Law on Officers in Active Service and the Regulations on Officers’ Ranks in a timely manner, so that the promulgation of each regulation and system not only conforms to the statutory procedural rules, but also stands the test of history, practice and officers and soldiers. In the process of implementation, it is necessary to establish a record review system. If problems are found in the policy system, the relevant departments should change, cancel or correct them in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Legislative Law of People’s Republic of China (PRC). At the same time, the various policies and systems introduced should be promptly publicized and interpreted, and the responsible subjects should be clearly supervised and implemented to ensure that the whole reform process is orderly in accordance with the law and GAI.
We should do a good job in overall coordination from the content, standard, level and time sequence. In terms of content, it is necessary to form a comprehensive integration framework, including how many institutional elements there are, how many are there at present, how many will be introduced, what will be done first, and what regulations will be introduced every year should be clear; In terms of standards, it is necessary to form a military human resources dictionary, which is approved by the competent department and published in a specific form, unifying the concepts, standards and system interfaces to prevent each from speaking in different ways and conducting political affairs in different ways; At the level, it is necessary to obey the principle of superior law according to the subordinate law. The superior law is the overall and principled norm of the constitution and laws, and the subordinate law is the concrete and supporting norm of military regulations and rules. In terms of time sequence, the reform process is formed according to the leadership and command system and troop establishment, and the road map, timetable and task book of the reform project are formed in a timely manner.
