EVALUATION OF THE MILITARY CAREER STRUCTURE IN LITHUANIA

The aim of the paper is to analyze the military career structure in the National Defence System (NDS) as well as its improvement in the context of modern developments. The aim of the research is to provide guidelines for the improvement of the structure after the assessment of the military career structure of professional military officers in the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The article is prepared using the following methods: meta-analysis of scientific and specific literature, comparison, generalization and the survey of the professional military officers from the NDS. The target group was 332 professional military officers. A research revealed that the management of career processes of modern statutory bodies is still based more on the concept of a traditional rather than modern career. A career is seen here as career advancement, moving to a higher level and being rewarded a higher military rank. The military career structure and its management are regulated by law. However, due to the abundance of legislation we face with too much information and too many procedures in different normative documents, long bureaucratic procedures which do not ensure the efficiency of the military career structure and may violate the basic management principles, i.e. complexity, equality, competition, impartiality, transparency and consistency. A quantitative research revealed that the majority of Lithuanian officers are dissatisfied with the existing military career structure, which is formal, fragmented and focused on the organization rather than the person as a valuable element of the organization. After analyzing managerial aspects of the career structure, was identified that the military career structure applies only individual career planning and organizing tools. Also, the research revealed key problematic areas: officers lack information with respect to career opportunities, they are not included in career planning, request forms regarding their career or qualifications are rarely filled in, the potential of a career manager is not explored and prepared individual career plans are purely a formality. This is in conflict with the procedures and requirements found in the Officer Career Concept and other legislation.