What is the IC Civilian Joint Duty Program?

The IC Civilian Joint Duty Program is the civilian personnel rotation program designed specifically for employees of the IC. It is similar to the joint duty program designed for the military services. It offers civilians professional opportunities to enhance their careers by experiencing the Intelligence Enterprise beyond their home elements. The IC Civilian Joint Duty Program helps to develop intelligence professionals who value and foster collaboration.

Why should I participate?

The Joint Duty program offers distinct, career advantages for participants, including rewarding experiences, leadership development, and networking. The program offers these opportunities:

• Better understanding of the scope and complexity of the Intelligence Community
• Opportunities to expand your professional networks through interagency collaboration
• Opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of other IC organizations as well as see how your organization fits into the overall picture

What will this experience provide my home organization when I return?

A Joint Duty rotation offers your employing agency a more valuable, more experienced intelligence professional with professional networks in other IC organizations.

Who is eligible to participate in Joint Duty?

All government civilian Intelligence professionals, starting at Grade GS-11, Pay Band 3 who work in the Intelligence Community, are eligible to participate in the Joint Duty program with their home element’s approval. Contact your element's IC Civilian Joint Duty Program Manager for other eligibility and application requirements.

How do I find out more about the Joint Duty program?

Please contact your element’s Joint Duty Program Manager for information regarding Joint Duty. You can also visit the Joint Duty website on the classified system at https://jointduty.ic.gov or the unclassified Joint Duty website (click here).

What are some of the ways to earn Joint Duty Credit?

There are many ways to earn Joint Duty Credit:

• Completion of a Joint Duty rotational assignment of 12 or more months in another IC element after September 11, 2001. Short-term rotations over a 36-month period may be counted toward this requirement, provided that each assignment is not less than 90 consecutive days.
• Deployment to a designated combat zone for at least 179 days or through multiple assignments lasting at least 90 days with a cumulative total of 179 days within a 36-month period.
• Earning an undergraduate or graduate degree from the National Intelligence University through established full-time resident courses of study.
• Work experience outside the IC also may qualify for Joint Duty credit if they meet the criteria established in Intelligence Community Policy Guidance (ICPG) 660.1.

Please see Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 660 and ICPG 660.1 for guidance on all the methods of earning Joint Duty Credit. Each element is responsible for adjudicating Joint Duty credit claims from employees. Please contact your element's Joint Duty Program Manager for guidance on their claims process.

Vacancy announcements and position descriptions of currently available Joint Duty positions can be found on the classified Joint Duty websites at https://jointduty.ic.gov or on the unclassified side click here. Your agency’s Joint Duty Program Manager can also assist you.

How do I find out what Joint Duty rotations are available?

Vacancy announcements of currently available Joint Duty rotations are posted on the classified IC Joint Duty website at https://jointduty.ic.gov, or on the unclassified side click here. Your element’s Joint Duty Program Manager can also assist you.

How do I apply for a Joint Duty rotation?

Joint Duty rotation vacancies are posted on the IC Joint Duty website located on the classified system at https://jointduty.ic.gov and click here for the unclassified network. Dependent on your element's internal procedures, you may be able to apply for the vacancy through the Joint Duty Assignment Tool (JDAT), an online application process available on the classified system.

To be considered for a vacancy, you must submit your resume and narrative describing your qualifications for the position by the vacancy close date. Your employing element will have 10 days to formally nominate your application for the gaining element to review after the vacancy closes. Once an employee is selected, a Memorandum of Understanding must be prepared and signed by the employing and gaining elements  and employee before the employee can begin the Joint Duty rotation.

Please note that each IC element may have additional procedures for its employees to apply for Joint Duty rotations. For this reason, you should contact your element’s Joint Duty Program Manager for details.

How does each element approve individuals who want to participate in the Joint Duty program?

Each element has its own process. Contact your element’s Joint Duty Program Manager for more information on the application process.

Am I allowed to apply for a Joint Duty position that is above or below my current grade?

Yes. A candidate may apply for positions one grade or band below to one grade or band above their current grade or band. Please note that some elements have more restrictive policies that only allow lateral rotations. Please contact your agency’s Joint Duty Program Manager for specifics.

A Joint Duty rotation grade does not affect your current grade, nor will it automatically promote or demote you once the assignment is complete. Promotion and other actions will be determined through your employing element’s regular personnel management system.

Is Joint Duty a prerequisite for a promotion to the senior executive ranks?

Yes. Joint Duty credit is mandatory for promotion to Senior Executive in the IC, unless a waiver, for an individual, or an exemption, for a position, is obtained from the DNI or USD(I).

How many Joint Duty rotations do I need to complete in my career to meet the requirement for promotion to the senior executive ranks?

Only one Joint Duty rotation is required. However, you are encouraged to further broaden or deepen your technical skills through additional assignments, as appropriate to your individual and element goals for your career development. Review your element's policies and procedures for further guidance.

Who is responsible for my performance evaluation while serving in a Joint Duty rotational assignment?

Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 651 “ Performance Management for the IC Workforce” and ICD 656 “Performance Management for IC Seniors” specify the gaining element is responsible for completing performance objectives and evaluations for the individual assigned to them on a Joint Duty rotational assignment. The evaluations will be reviewed and approved by a management official in the gaining element. The reviewing official will consult with a designated point of contact from the individual’s employing element and provide that official with an opportunity to review and provide additional written comments on the employee’s performance, which will be included in the evaluation form before a final performance evaluation is provided to the employee.

Will my previous military experience and/or work experience gained from outside the Intelligence Community (Federal and non-Federal) count as Joint Duty?

Each IC element adjudicates such claims on a case-by-case basis. In general, the nature of your previous military or work experience must meet the criteria established in ICD 660 to count for Joint Duty Credit. Contact your element’s Joint Duty Program Manager for more details.

If a person was grandfathered into a senior position without Joint Duty credit and then desires to make a lateral move, are they still required to attain the Joint Duty credit first?

No. Lateral moves do not require additional Joint Duty Credit. However, moving up to a higher Senior Tier does require the individual to have earned Joint Duty Credit while serving in their current Tier level.

Additionally, movement from a Defense Intelligence Senior Leader (DISL) position to a Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Services (DISES) position, or vice versa, even if it is of the same Tier level, also requires the individual to have earned Joint Duty Credit while serving in their current position. Grandfathered credit does not apply in these instances.

As a non-Intelligence Community civilian U.S. government employee, can I apply to a Joint Duty vacancy?

While only IC civilian U.S. Government employees are eligible to apply for Joint Duty credit, applicants from non-IC civilian U.S. Government employees may be considered for a Joint Duty rotation at the discretion of gaining IC elements. Personnel submitting such applications must have an active Top Secret/SCI security clearance and will need an endorsement from their employing agency. Applications may be submitted via email to the IC Civilian Joint Duty Program Office (JDPO) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The JDPO will notify the gaining IC element which will coordinate next steps, at its discretion, with the employing government entity.