Navy Promotion Decision-Making

Abstract

U.S. Navy officer selection boards operate in a complex decision-making environment, where cognitive challenges such as information overload and decision fatigue can lead to errors and biases in the promotion process. This thesis aims to identify these cognitive pain points and offer targeted recommendations to improve the selection of the most qualified officers for leadership positions. Through an analysis grounded in ecological and psychological heuristics research and informed by comparisons with other military services and industry best practices, this study proposes three key strategies. The first is to automate parts of the initial record review process to reduce administrative burden and cognitive load on board members. Second is the implementation of a standardized briefing template to ensure consistency and mitigate biases during record reviews. The third recommendation is to restructure board days to include regular breaks and avoid decision fatigue. These recommendations seek to enhance the transparency and efficiency of the Navy’s officer selection board process, leading to more merit-based promotions that better align with Get Real, Get Better principles.