A New Approach to Force-Mix Analysis: A Case Study Comparing Air Force Active and Reserve Forces Conducting Cyber Missions
Abstract
This paper demonstrates a new approach to active-reserve force mix analysis, in which the alternatives are described by a variety of cost and performance criteria. It was developed to analyze staffing for Air Force cyber missions. Alternatives are quantitatively evaluated with respect to each of the criteria. The measures for the various criteria are translated into 0-10 values, which are then aggregated into a final value by a weighted sum using input weights of each criterion's relative importance. The procedure is illustrated by a comparison of different mixes of Air Force active and reserve personnel for performing the Computer Network Attack mission. While the illustrative research is not conclusive, it suggests that the Department of Defense might achieve greater overall value by encouraging reservists to volunteer for more than the normal 39 days (one weekend per month and a two-week tour per year) and integrating active and reserve units into "blended" units where all cyber warriors work side-by-side. These actions would (a) increase the reservists' currency (familiarity) with the fast-changing technology of modern peacetime cyber missions (where "reserves" no longer means "held in reserve" for wartime), (b) make greater use of the advanced education and training that many reservists acquire in their civilian occupations, and (c) lower RC hourly costs by adding in more workdays at less than drill pay rates and increasing percent of time performing useful work.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA591198
Entities
People
- Daniel B. Levine
- Drew Miller
- Stanley A. Horowitz
Organizations
- Institute for Defense Analyses