This article examines the career paths of noncareer members of the Senior Executive Service in the federal government. It develops three models by which they are selected for public service. (Under Reagan, the `counter-staffing model" was dominant in most agencies.) Turnover among noncareer SESers was more rapid than for higher-level political appointees; average tenure in office was only 1.7 years. This rapid turnover, in conjunction with the antibureaucratic values of the counter-staffing model, severely hampered the competence of noncareer SESers and their relationships with career executives in the Reagan administration.
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