Retention and Recruiting
Retention Prediction Model (RPM): Machine learning for high-fidelity retention forecasting
RPM harnesses extensive personnel data, including:
- Career histories
- Family information
- Economic conditions
Leverages IDA’s Finite-Interval Forecasting Engine (FIFE)
- Open-source (PyPI, GitHub, Read the Docs)
- Machine learning
- Designed for survival analysis
Forecasts retention outcomes over time
- Person-level forecasts
- Aggregate for group forecasts
- Operationalize as dashboard inputs in cloud systems
IDA has applied the RPM across to answer a range of military personnel questions. Examples include…
Developing targeted retention incentives to help the Army retain high-quality junior officers
Supporting the Army National Guard in programming for future demand for training school slots
Identifying factors correlated with promotions and exits among Navy officers
Measuring the return on investment for physicians trained at the Uniformed Services University
Quantifying the predicted costs to DoD of changing the military compensation structure
Recruiting: Supporting DoD in recruiting the next generation of talented service members and civilians
Examples include…
- Identifying trends in community demographic, economic, and cultural factors that predict military enlistment
- Evaluating the SMART program for recruiting STEM talent
- Assessing implications of national demographic and labor market trends for Army National Guard
Compensation and Benefits
Compensation and Benefits: IDA analyses DoD policies to identify potential improvements and cost savings
Evaluating and quantifying the effects of a single-salary system on Service members’ earnings, military readiness, personnel costs, and tax revenue
Estimating the cost of providing healthcare to DoD beneficiaries under an alternative benefit design and identifying sources of potential savings relative to the TRICARE system
Developing recommendations for pilot programs designed to assess proposed TRICARE reforms and provide insights into national healthcare reform issues
Examining the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on service members and families
Recommending a range for the government discount rate used in calculating lump sum military retirement payments under the Blended Retirement System
Research Spotlight: Analysis of a Salary-Based Pay System for the Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation
IDA’s contribution to the 2020 QRMC report included an analysis of the feasibility and implications of a single-salary pay system, as well as recommendations for alternative policy changes targeted at improving the efficiency and fairness of the military pay system.
See our report and publication in the Thirteenth QRMC, Vol 2