Judith D. Mele

This update of a previous report provides findings on economic activity supported by total Army spending in congressional districts for fiscal years 2014 through 2017. Using input/output models, researchers estimated that the Army directly spent approximately $80.1 million in the median congressional district and $1.3 billion in the median state in fiscal year 2017, translating into approximately 3,800 jobs per district and 48,000 jobs per state.

This report presents findings on the economic activity supported by total Army spending in each of the 435 congressional districts for fiscal years 2012-2014. Using input/output models, researchers estimated that in FY 2014, the Army directly spent approximately $121 million in the median congressional district (in 2012 dollars), translating into about 4,200 jobs and contributing to $375 million of economic output.

Develops an overall force-management framework for identifying roles and organizations to provide analysis and diagnosis of understrength conditions and to also execute appropriate policy interventions to solve the problems. Develops an overall force-management framework for identifying roles and organizations to provide analysis and diagnosis of understrength conditions and to also execute appropriate policy interventions to solve the problems. Key to force management as a whole is operational-level (career-field) force management, which provides both the policy framework that guides tactical-level (individual career) management and the basic informational input for strategic-level (total Air Force workforce) decisions.

Acquisition data and information are the foundation for decisionmaking, management, and oversight of weapon-system acquisition programs. The authors review 21 key acquisition data information systems, their origins and uses, and how acquisition data might be improved. They also summarize background on acquisition data; review commercial practices in data management; and offer findings and recommendations to improve quality, access, and use.

The Department of Defense (DoD) may face challenges as it attempts to maintain its goal of spending about 23 percent of prime-contract dollars for goods and services with small businesses and at the same time apply strategic-sourcing practices to reduce total costs and improve performance and efficiency and in ways that will not conflict with small-business goals.

Existing federal data can identify supply base participation of subcontractors, their socioeconomic status, and the vulnerability of contractors and subcontractors to environmental risks and changes in their federal government prime contract and subcontract revenue. This information can help policymakers understand potential risks in the supply chain. Data on natural-disaster risks can also help identify external sources of supply disruption.

Analyzes the Air Force's seven medical and professional officer corps the Biomedical Sciences Corps, the Chaplain Corps, the Dental Corps, the Judge Advocate General Corps (attorneys), the Medical Corps (physicians), the Medical Service Corps, and the Nurse Corps with regard to end strengths, accession levels, promotion flow, and attrition since the late 1970s. Recent accession and retention trends have been most adverse in the Nurse Corps."

Discusses the tendencies of Air Force physicians and dentists to accept Multiyear Special Pay (MSP). Eligible dentists have often accepted MSP although a majority of eligible physicians have not. Increasing MSP levels appears to increase the percentage of physicians who choose to accept MSP rather than leaving Air Force service.