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Military Officers

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Commissioned military officers are trained in leadership and management. RAND has conducted extensive research to advise policymakers on how to design training and career development programs that will attract and retain military leaders capable of meeting a nation's strategic goals.

Report
Forecasting Religious Affiliation in the United States Army
Changes in the religious composition of the United States could affect the religious composition of recruits into the U.S. Army. This, in turn, could significantly alter the religious needs of the Army population. How has the religious composition of enlisted soldiers and of officers changed over time?
Nov 29, 2021
Report
Championing the Agile Air Force Officer Career
Some human resource management practices might hinder the military services' abilities to effectively manage their human capital. What is the potential utility of some new flexibilities for improving the management of Air Force human capital?
Jul 30, 2021

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Report
Supporting the U.S. Space Force Single-Component Structure: Impediments for Members Transitioning Between Full-Time and Part-Time Participation
U.S. Space Force leadership envisions a service in which Guardians transition easily between full- and part-time service. Five impediments discussed in this report make it unnecessarily difficult to make these transitions between types of service.
May 1, 2023
Report
Emerging Options for Field-Grade Officer Promotions in the U.S. Air Force
The Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act established an alternative framework for promotion policies for military officers. The authors examine whether shifting to this framework would be beneficial and how it would be implemented.
Mar 29, 2023
Research Brief
Actions the Army Can Take to Reduce Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, and Gender Discrimination
This research brief highlights top-line findings from four different projects that have implications for strategies to prevent sexual harassment and sexual assault in the U.S. Army.
Oct 20, 2022
Infographic
Characteristics of Active-Duty Soldiers' Most Serious Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Experiences
This infographic presents characteristics of sexual harassment and sexual assault experiences among U.S. active-duty soldiers, with a focus on identifying differences across several demographic and military characteristics.
Oct 20, 2022
Report
Sexual Assault Experiences in the Active-Component Army: Variation by Year, Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Installation Risk Level
Researchers describe the most common types of behaviors that occurred during active-component soldiers' most serious experiences of sexual assault, characteristics of alleged perpetrators, and times and places in which these experiences occurred.
Oct 20, 2022
Report
Assessment and Selection for U.S. Air Force Special Warfare: Vol. 1, Defining Attributes and Designing Rater Training
Air Force Special Warfare warrants specialized assessment and selection of future operators. The authors examine the nontechnical attributes needed to conduct challenging missions and the process for selecting candidates who can succeed.
Sep 27, 2022
Report
Managing Adverse and Reportable Information Regarding U.S. Military Officers: 2019 Update
The authors analyze the policies and processes for reporting unfavorable information about U.S. military officers being considered for appointments, promotions, or retirements and make recommendations for improvement.
Jul 1, 2022
Commentary
The Value of Institutional Capacity Building Through Professional Military Education
Security cooperation rarely makes headlines. But it enhances the security of the United States and its allies and partners in an effective and cost-effective way, and may deserve more attention and support.
Apr 25, 2022
Report
Soldier Preferences and Retention Effects of Changes in Army Reserve Training Requirements
Soldiers in the U.S. Army Reserve have traditionally been required to attend 39 days of training per year. However, across the readiness cycle, units may have their requirements changed with minimal notice. How do changes in training requirements affect a soldier's interest in staying in the Reserves?
Nov 16, 2021
News Release
Sexual Harassment, Gender Discrimination Look Different for Men and Women in Army, but Experiences Similar Across ...
Sexual harassment and discrimination in the active-duty U.S. Army look different and occur more often for women than men, but the settings where harassment occurs and characteristics of perpetrators are similar.
Aug 2, 2021
Research Brief
Preventing Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault in the U.S. Army
Groups of soldiers, and particularly women, in different commands, bases, and career fields experience substantially different rates of sexual harassment and sexual assault. A better understanding of the characteristics and context of these incidents can inform and improve prevention efforts.
Aug 2, 2021
Report
Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination in the Active-Component Army: Variation in Most Serious Event Characteristics by Gender and Installation Risk
This report describes the most common types of behaviors that occur during active-component soldiers' most serious sexual harassment and gender discrimination experiences, characteristics of (alleged) perpetrators, and times and places in which these occur.
Aug 2, 2021
Report
Department of the Air Force Officer Talent Management Reforms
The Department of the Air Force is revamping the way it manages officer development and promotion. As part of this overhaul, the Line of the Air Force is being split into six separate developmental categories. How will interdependent policy changes affect outcomes of the personnel system?
Jul 27, 2021
Report
Air Force Professional Military Education: Considerations for Change
Professional military education is a complex system that accommodates thousands of Air Force officers yearly. The Air Force needs to rebalance the assignment of students to Air University and to other PME or fellowship programs outside the Air Force.
Jul 12, 2021
Report
Making the Grade: Integration of Joint Professional Military Education and Talent Management in Developing Joint Officers
The authors examine how joint educational institutions and stakeholders and the military services can support a transition to joint professional military education using the outcomes expected of graduates rather than traditional learning processes.
May 26, 2021
Report
Reducing Rework in Officer Appointment Processes
Appointment scrolls are required for initial appointment of officers and for reappointment in a different grade, military service, or component. But the appointment and promotion scrolling process takes time. What improvements could increase the efficiency of these processes?
Apr 19, 2021
Report
Streamlining Cost Estimation for Large Department of Defense Organizations
Researchers created a prototype tool using data from the Full Cost of Manpower model to help manpower decisionmakers produce consistent and repeatable cost estimations to understand the budget implications of alternative total force mixes.
Mar 31, 2021
Research Brief
Modernizing Officer Career Management: Analyzing Eleven Issues
The authors examine 11 issues related to modernizing officer career management; these involve statutory, policy, cultural, and fiscal constraints. They offer service perspectives on these constraints and present mitigation strategies.
Jan 19, 2021

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RAND Topic:
Military Officers

Topic Synonyms:
General Officers;
GO

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Sean Robson

Senior Behavioral/Social Scientist

Sean Robson is a senior behavioral and policy scientist who works on manpower, personnel, and training issues. As an expert on issues related to the scientific validation of tests and standards, he has been leading efforts to establish the scientific basis for assessment and selection programs…
Carra S. Sims

Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist

Carra S. Sims is a senior behavioral and social scientist at the RAND Corporation working in RAND Project AIR FORCE, the RAND Arroyo Center, and the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center on U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force, U.S. Army, and Department of Homeland Security manpower and…

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