Time for a private sector shake-up of the top US military ranks

The U.S. military should do something that sounds crazy: Let civilians apply for some one- or two-star general officer posts, and appoint a board of outside CEOs to select around 40% of the military’s three- and four-star billets.

This is a big ask for a Pentagon used to managing itself without much outside interference. But the boldness is necessary. The simple problem: an unwillingness on the part of Pentagon leaders to embrace new ideas is causing too many talented junior-mid ranking officers to leave the services.