In this report, we evaluate the three business models that the Army relies on for its on-post rail operations and determine whether greater reliance on commercial rail assets could meet Army rail needs at a lower cost.

Researchers assessed what airpower fleet mixes could best posture the U.S. Coast Guard to execute its various missions globally to meet future operational requirements. This report provides their findings and recommendations.

This report analyzes how the U.S. Army can improve its distribution of heavy secondary items that account for a small proportion of the overall number of items the Army must ship to users but comprise a large proportion of the weight it ships.

This report documents the Integrated Recruiting Resource Model (iRRM), which predicts contract and accession production for both the Regular Army and U.S. Army Reserve and provides optimal resource allocation recommendations for both components. The goal of the iRRM is to help the Army determine the most productive allocation of resources and use of policy levers under the Army's control in response to changes outside the Army's control.

Managing the flow of Air Force rated officers has become more challenging. In this report, the authors document their efforts to develop a long-term career field planning model for all rated officers across the Total Force.

Describes and assesses the strengths and weaknesses of several analytic approaches for linking infrastructure resources to readiness and for articulating the effect of infrastructure underfunding in the Air Force Program Objective Memorandum process.

The authors examined friction between the U.S. Army's People First objectives (which focus on command climate, cohesive teams, career goals, and work-life balance) and mission readiness objectives and developed strategies to mitigate this friction.

Although policy guidance is in place to manage some risks, there is no comprehensive procedure on how to manage the array of risks that can afflict U.S. Army supply chains. Because the Army lacks a comprehensive supply chain risk management (SCRM) system, there is limited ability to proactively identify and manage supply chain risks across a weapon system program's life cycle. In this report, the authors develop frameworks to support implementation of an Army common operating procedure for identifying and managing supply chain risks during the acquisition life cycle. The authors surveyed the SCRM literature to catalog and define 10 supply chain risk categories and 31 supply chain risk drivers. They also documented lessons learned from three supply chain risk case studies. The authors reviewed the process steps and documents reflected in the Army acquisition life cycle; interviewed representatives from the acquisition and sustainment communities to understand the existing approach to SCRM; and then identified the steps along the process where supply chain risk activities might take place. The authors recommend the adoption of three interconnected SCRM frameworks that span the weapon system's life cycle. By managing across three frameworks, the Army can focus SCRM activities within the organizations that have the most knowledge and information about the weapon system at that point in the life cycle. The interrelated nature of the frameworks promotes sharing knowledge and acknowledging the changing nature of risks across the life cycle.