Army Cancels Command Assessment Program (CAP) in Favor of Merit-Based Promotions
The Army has decided to cancel its Command Assessment Program (CAP), a promotion board that previously considered psychological assessments and potential biases in leadership evaluations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed his approval of this decision, emphasizing that promotions within the Department of Defense will now solely be based on merit and performance.
Initially introduced in 2020, the CAP aimed to minimize conscious and subconscious biases by utilizing peer assessments and behavioral analysis to select candidates for command positions. Former Army Secretary Christine Wormuth had officially established CAP as a program of record just before Donald Trump assumed office.
The program involved a series of psychometric assessments to evaluate cognitive capacity, emotional intelligence, conscientiousness, self-awareness, and other behavioral traits of approximately 2,000 candidates vying for Army leadership roles each year. However, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll recently halted the program for review.
Despite its intentions, the CAP failed to generate increased interest in leadership roles, as evidenced by a growing number of eligible senior officers opting out of participation. The Army observed a rise in the percentage of officers declining the opportunity to take on command roles, with 54% abstaining in the previous year compared to 40% in 2019.
Following the cancellation of the CAP, the Army will return to its previous assessment process known as the Centralized Selection Board/List (CSL) for appointing commanding officers. Under the CSL system, officers serving on selection boards evaluate candidates based on their past assignments, performance, and potential.
The credibility of the CAP was further tarnished when Gen. Charles Hamilton, the commander of Army Materiel Command, was relieved of duty due to allegations of improperly influencing the selection process in favor of a lieutenant colonel who had failed her CAP assessment. An Inspector General investigation resulted in his dismissal in December 2024.
The decision to discontinue the CAP aligns with a directive from the under secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness on June 20, which called for a comprehensive review of military officer evaluations and selection procedures.