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Military Professions

For decades, RAND has conducted extensive research to help U.S. and allied decisionmakers design training and career development programs that will attract and retain military professionals capable of meeting a nation's national security and defense goals.

Report
Officer Classification and the Future of Diversity Among Senior Military Leaders: A Case Study of the Army ROTC
Examines the relationship between career field choice, race/ethnicity, and membership in the Army's senior officer corps.
Sep 28, 2009
Report
Computer Simulation of General and Flag Officer Management: Model Description and Results
A simulation model is used to assess the complexity and feasibility of managing the new general and flag officer end- and grade-strength accounting rules of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009.
Aug 6, 2009
Report
A Strategic Approach to Joint Officer Management: Analysis and Modeling Results
As part of an effort examining officer development in joint matters, the authors use data analysis and complex modeling to identify billets that provide and/or require joint experience and to assess the supply and demand of joint officers.
Jul 16, 2009
Report
Qualifying Military Health Care Officers as "Joint": Weighing the Pros and Cons
This research, part of a larger project examining the preparation and support of leaders in the medical field, evaluates the need for and feasibility of qualifying health care officers as ''joint'' officers.
Mar 25, 2009
Report
The Cost-Effectiveness of Military Advertising: Evidence from 2002-2004
Presents the results of an econometric analysis that explored how effective military advertising is in generating active-duty enlistments.
Feb 27, 2009
Report
Feasibility of an Air Liaison Officer Career Field: Improving the Theater Air-Ground System
Air liaison officers (ALOs) are U.S. Air Force officers who provide close air support to U.S. Army units. This investigation of the feasibility of an ALO career field relies on historical sources, interviews, and a personnel flow analysis.
Oct 16, 2008
Report
The Weighted Airman Promotion System: Standardizing Test Scores
Examines the practice of not standardizing the test scores that are part of the U.S. Air Force enlisted promotion system and discusses possible standardization strategies.
Jun 22, 2008
Report
Planning for Diversity: Options and Recommendations for DoD Leaders
Discusses the initial steps that the Department of Defense should take in developing a department-wide strategic plan to achieve greater diversity within its active duty and civilian leadership.
May 15, 2008
Report
Developing Senior Navy Leaders: Requirements for Flag Officer Expertise Today and in the Future
Identifies the expertise requirements of senior Navy leadership positions, as well as the types of experience likely to become more important in the future, to better understand how the Navy should develop its officers.
May 7, 2008
Report
Leader Development in Army Units: Views from the Field
Summarizes discussions with over 450 Army officers about leader development in Army units, and offers suggestions on how the Army school system can improve leader development.
Feb 16, 2008
Report
Advancing the U.S. Air Force's Force-Development Initiative
Steps to take for consistent, efficient, and effective plans and means for improving the development of U.S. Air Force officers across and within their career fields.
Dec 13, 2007
Report
Indefinite Reenlistment and Noncommissioned Officers
Considers the utility of the U.S. Army shift, in 1998, of its senior enlisted force from a fixed enlistment contract system to indefinite reenlistment and the potential applicability to the other service branches.
Jan 29, 2007
Report
How Should the U.S. Army Prepare Its Future Leaders?
Changes in the world over the past two decades have made the conduct of military operations more complex and varied. More needs to be done to prepare Army leaders to meet the challenges of the contemporary environment and to continually learn and adapt to new circumstances.
Jan 30, 2006
Report
Looking to the Future: What Does Transformation Mean for Military Manpower and Personnel Policy?
Discusses how manpower and personnel policies can be used to produce the changes in military culture needed for transformation.
Dec 20, 2004
Report
New Paths to Success: Determining Career Alternatives for Field-Grade Officers
Are there feasible alternatives to the present “up-or-out” policy for U.S. military officers?
Dec 17, 2004
Research Brief
New Measure of Military Personnel Quality Reveals that Services Retain Higher-Quality Personnel
To provide a clearer picture of how the quality of military personnel is revealed over time, RAND Corporation researchers implemented a new, broader measure of quality that incorporates information from the military promotion system.
Jan 1, 2004
Report
Learning About Quality: How the Quality of Military Personnel Is Revealed Over Time
Extends the military services' customary definition of quality -- high school diploma graduate and scoring in the upper half on the Armed Forces Qualification Test -- to include performance as indicated by speed of promotion during the first term.
Jan 1, 2003
Research Brief
The Effect of Voluntary Financial Incentives on Separation Rates for Mid-Career Military Personnel
This research brief describes work documented in An Examination of the Effects of Voluntary Separation (MR-859-OSD).
Jan 1, 2002
Report
An Examination of the Effects of Voluntary Separation Incentives
In this report, the authors address questions about the VSI/SSB (Voluntary Separation Incentive/Special Separation Benefit) program using Defense Manpower Data Center data on Army enlisted personnel.
Jan 1, 2001
Report
Military Recruiting: Trends, Outlook, and Implications
Based on indications of increased difficulty in meeting recruiting goals, RAND was asked to examine recent trends in the recruiting market and to assess their implications for meeting accession requirements.
Jan 1, 2001

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Henry A. Leonard

Senior International/Defense Researcher

Henry "Chip" Leonard is a senior international/defense researcher at the RAND Corporation who served for more than 27 years as an Army officer; half of that time was with tactical units, including seven years of direct command experience. In addition, he served in key operational staff positions…
Chaitra M. Hardison

Senior Behavioral Scientist

Chaitra M. Hardison (she/her) is a senior behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation and a member of the Pardee RAND Graduate School faculty. Her research focuses on the knowledge, skills, and abilities required in the workplace and identifying how best to select, train, and educate personnel…

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