In response to the need of military leaders to be better prepared to plan, support, and conduct joint (multi-service and multi-national) operations, Congress enacted the Goldwater- Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986. Positive steps were taken to implement provisions in the Act that address the education, assignment, and promotion of officers serving in joint positions. At the request of the U.S. House subcommittee on Military Personnel, the Government Accounting Office evaluated impediments affecting the ability of the Department of Defense (DOD) to fully respond to provisions in the Act. Annual DOD report data were analyzed; interviews were conducted with DOD officials; and 557 officers were surveyed. The study found that the DOD has not determined how many officers should complete the joint education program. In 2001, only 1/3 of the officers serving in joint positions had completed the program. In that same year, more than 1/3 of critical joint duty positions were left unfilled because of a lack of trained joint specialty officers. The DOD still relied on waivers to promote officers; analysis showed that 58 out of 124 officers promoted did not meet the joint education requirements. In order for the DOD to be assured that it is preparing officers in the most effective manner, it was recommended that a strategic plan be developed that would do the following: (1) identify the number of joint specialty officers needed; (2) provide for the education and assignment of reservists who may serve in joint organizations; and (3) provide more meaningful data to track progress made against the plan. (There are 15 tables and figures. Five appendices include DOD statistics and the survey questionnaire). (AJ)