Earlier this week, the Pentagon issued a news release titled “Prestigious Fellowship Program Arms Military Officers with Private Sector Perspective.” The release described the Secretary of Defense Executive Fellows program, which, in the words of Deputy Assistant Secretary Caroline Baxter, enables 18 talented mid-grade officers “to fully immerse themselves in industry, broadening their understanding of mission-critical challenges, cultivating relationships outside of government, exposing them to private sector approaches and lessons learned and equipping them to drive change in the department."

Some companies utilize the fellows as special assistants to the highest-level corporate officers, thereby giving them the broadest exposure to a firm’s planning, management and operations. Others employ the fellows in more specialized roles.

In addition to affording the fellows a stint inside industry, the program also enables them to “participate in congressional visits and think-tank engagements and complete executive-level business coursework through the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.” As the press release points out, the program is “highly selective” and “has served as a springboard for post-command, field-grade officers to expand their skill sets and leverage best practices to drive innovation within the Defense........

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