Army Junior Officer Counsel drives change from the ground floor

WASHINGTON — The Army Junior Officer Counsel is a pilot program sponsored by the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, that is led by junior officers. Its goal is to transform how the Army learns, develops and retains young leaders in the officer grades of O-1 to O-3 and WO-1 to CW-3.

AJOC gives junior officers a formal platform to improve Soldiers’ quality of service and life, which supports junior officer retention and career satisfaction. It's proving to be a valuable asset by fostering innovation and positive change within the Army while cultivating the next generation of Army leaders.

The name AJOC deliberately contains the word "counsel" to highlight its advisory role to senior leaders, which allows JOs to share perspectives, insights and innovative ideas. The program capitalizes on the leading-edge knowledge and experience of junior officers because they are often the most recently formally trained, and they work close on the final planning and execution of many of the Army's missions.

"We're taking the knowledge we gain in our specific fields and applying it to broader Army challenges," said Maj. Chris Slininger, AJOC's director and founder. "AJOC provides a space to hone these skills amongst our peers, allowing for candid feedback and rapid growth."

AJOC is designed to have numerous chapters at different installations gathering feedback, research and recommendations from JOs. It currently has three active chapters at Fort Stewart, Georgia; Smith Barracks in Baumholder, Germany; and Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

Slininger said AJOC chapters prioritize action-oriented, collaborative problem-solving approaches that focus on delivering rigorous research and tangible results. They also emphasize active listening, encouraging JOs to gather information effectively, understand diverse perspectives and build consensus.

"This isn't about endless debates and discussions," explained Slininger. "AJOC is about identifying challenges, developing practical solutions and driving meaningful change within the Army."

AJOC also offers significant professional development opportunities for participating JOs by cultivating critical thinking and encouraging them to leverage data, artificial intelligence and other resources to inform and improve decision-making.

One of the program's core strengths involves encouraging JOs to take ownership of driving change within the Army profession. It also gives senior leaders who want to support change an opportunity to hear from JOs and mentor them to help implement effective solutions to identified challenges and gaps.

Interaction with senior leaders is an invaluable experience for JOs as it gives them first-hand access to the perspectives of senior leaders, who help them understand the Army's broader vision and its network of stakeholders, campaigns and responsibilities.

Slininger created AJOC as a junior officer after recognizing the need for a more structured and effective system to understand and address the perspectives and needs of junior officers. Even now, as a field grade officer, he is a strong advocate for the program because of its value to the Army and JOs.

"AJOC offers a unique opportunity for JOs who want to make a tangible impact on the Army,” said Slininger. “Whether driven by a desire to improve their units, enhance their leadership skills or contribute to solving complex challenges, AJOC provides a platform for JOs to drive tomorrow's solutions today."

As AJOC expands, its impact on the Army's future is poised to grow even further.