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Operational Readiness

Organizing, training, and equipping armed forces for combat is essential to ensure their success in the field. RAND research provides military decisionmakers with information and analyses to implement effective support, training, and acquisition policies that ensure the highest level of operational readiness, even in the face of increasingly fluid combat environments.

Report

Assessment of Surface Ship Maintenance Requirements

This report by the National Defense Research Institute (NDRI) examines the impact of the U.S. government's fiscal challenges on the U.S. Navy's surface ship maintenance and operations requirements.

Dec 21, 2015
Report

Building the Army We Will Need

Failure to correctly estimate the number of soldiers needed or to provide adequate resources to the U.S. Army can lead to a failure of U.S. strategy and subsequent regret. Policymakers should plan and resource a larger ground force to meet the commitments that the United States has made.

Sep 23, 2015
Report

A Conceptual Framework for More Effectively Integrating Combat Support Capabilities and Constraints into Contingency Planning and Execution

This publication describes a conceptual framework for better integrating combat support capabilities and constraints into contingency planning and execution.

Sep 2, 2015
Report

Active Component Responsibility in Reserve Component Pre- and Postmobilization Training

This report examines historical readiness problems for the Army reserve component and ways in which Congress and the Army have addressed these, including active component support to RC units, and recommends changes to support future RC training.

Apr 29, 2015
Report

Pre-Deployment Stress, Mental Health, and Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Marines

This report describes the methods and findings of a large survey of marines who were preparing for a deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan in 2010 or 2011.

Dec 15, 2014
Report

Balancing Agile Combat Support Manpower to Better Meet the Future Security Environment

Uses an enterprise-oriented approach to assess the capacity of the current agile combat support (ACS) manpower mix to support expeditionary operations and assesses the costs and capacity of several rebalanced mixes.

Jun 26, 2014
Report

Changing the Army's Weapon Training Strategies to Meet Operational Requirements More Efficiently and Effectively

Outlines directions the Army could take to improve its weapon training strategies and how they are developed to better support operational requirements and unit readiness processes, capitalize on training technologies, and increase efficiency.

Jun 25, 2014
Commentary

The U.S. Army Must Remain Prepared for Battle

Converting the Army into a force suited only for homeland defense or humanitarian missions abroad, without the ability to fight sophisticated foes as part of a joint force, would result in an unprepared Army.

Apr 18, 2014
Commentary

Don't Chop the Air Force — Look to the Reserves

The Air Force's latest budget plan proposes to cut 25,000 airmen. The recommendations made by the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force (NCSAF) offer an alternative — and less risky — way forward.

Apr 11, 2014
Report

Toward Integrated DoD Biosurveillance: Assessment and Opportunities

More near-real-time analysis and better internal and external integration could enhance the performance and value of the Department of Defense's biosurveillance programs. This study, conducted at the request of the Office of Management and Budget, finds that improvements are needed in key enablers, including funding.

Dec 4, 2013
Solution

Replacing the C-130E

The C-130 fleet performs critical air mobility functions for the nation, but part of that fleet is at risk from age-related factors. Which alternative aircraft would provide the required performance at lowest cost?

Aug 20, 2013
Report

Charting the Course for a New Air Force Inspection System - Executive Summary

This report presents primary data RAND collected on the Air Force inspection system and identifies effective inspection and information collection practices that the Air Force might emulate.

Jul 1, 2013
Report

Charting the Course for a New Air Force Inspection System

This report presents primary data RAND collected on the Air Force inspection system and identifies effective inspection and information collection practices that the Air Force might emulate.

Jul 1, 2013
Dissertation

Expanding the Use of Time/Frequency Difference of Arrival Geolocation in the Department of Defense

Explores an area in which the Department of Defense can operate smarter with its proliferating unmanned aircraft systems fleet.

Nov 12, 2012
Report

A Strategy-Based Framework for Accommodating Reductions in the Defense Budget

RAND analysts posit that federal budget deficit pressure may result in further Defense Department reductions, and suggest starting from a strategy basis in determining cuts, prioritizing challenges, and identifying where to accept more risk.

Oct 29, 2012
Research Brief

Linking Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture Capabilities to Military Readiness

Current tracking of language, regional expertise, and culture training and capabilities provides limited support for military decisionmaking.

Oct 18, 2012
Report

An Assessment of the Ability of the U.S. Department of Defense and the Services to Measure and Track Language and Culture Training and Capabilities Among General Purpose Forces

This report addresses questions concerning the U.S. Department of Defense's ability to measure and track the language, regional expertise, and culture training and capabilities of general purpose forces.

Oct 17, 2012
Commentary

A Year After Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Despite the fears of some, but in line with the experience of every other institution, both in the US and abroad, that has experienced such a transition, there have been no significant problems, writes Bernard Rostker.

Sep 20, 2012
Report

Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Logistics Applications

An evaluation of potential logistics applications for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) determines whether they are technically feasible, operationally feasible, and more cost-effective than other options. Six factors are identified that can be used to compare UAS and non-UAS based solutions to logistics tasks.

Jan 25, 2012
Report

Using Field Data to Improve Authorized Stockage List Push Packages

Looks at the feasibility of using demands for sustainment parts experienced by initial equipment fieldings to improve parts availability as the equipment is fielded to successive units.

Dec 15, 2011

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RAND Topic:
Operational Readiness

Topic Synonyms:
Combat Readiness

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