There was a time when the assignment of top jobs in the joint force resembled a political balancing act more than a merit-based selection process. Back then, representatives from each of the three military departments were awarded roughly equal shares of the Pentagon's plum assignments, with the Marine Corps included as what academics call a "lesser included case" in the Navy Department totals. Certain commands were reserved for one service—the Navy always led the Pacific Command, the Air Force always led the Strategic Air Command—but when the three departments totaled up their joint assignments, they got about the same number. Political leaders were careful to rotate the chairmanship of the Joint Chiefs among the three departments, and to make sure the chairman did not come from the same department as the vice chairman.
