Analysis of the US Army Assignment Process: Improving Effectiveness and Efficiency

Abstract : Since the conclusion of the Cold War and subsequent downsizing, the U.S. Army has struggled with the challenge of recruiting and retaining the highest quality soldiers to ensure future readiness. Each year, the Army plans and executes over 100,000 permanent change of station assignments for its 345,000 enlisted soldiers. The inherently complex challenge of assignment planning consists of balancing Army requirements and readiness with soldiers' professional needs and personal preferences. The Army's centralized and hierarchical assignment process could be improved using proven information technologies. Specifically, the process could be made more efficient using web-based markets and intelligent agents to more effectively plan and assign soldiers to billets. This thesis evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the Army's assignment process and its outcomes, compares and contrasts it with the Navy's assignment process, estimates and evaluates the utility of one- and two-sided matching processes using a computer simulation, and makes recommendations, where appropriate.