By the Numbers - Mar. 7, 2016
One-third
The fraction of military members moved by the Department of Defense every year, according to a recent RAND Corporation report -- Tour Lengths, Permanent Changes of Station, and Alternatives for Savings and Improved Stability. The report looked at how much money could be saved if DoD reduced the number of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves by extending tours of duty. Because a variety of alternatives were considered, the estimated annual savings range was broad -- $19 million to $84 million.
RAND researchers found:
A majority of those currently serving overseas and those who have recently served overseas would not volunteer for an extension. Their responses suggest that a mandatory program would adversely impact quality of life and could negatively impact morale and possible job performance.
However, "a substantial fraction of those serving overseas would be willing to extend their tour of service if a sufficiently attractive incentive package were offered."
The researchers recommend "an auction mechanism that would allow servicemembers to bid for extensions to their current overseas tours." Essentially, each Service member would submit a bid on the amount of incentive pay he or she would accept to extend his or her tour of duty. The DoD would then rank the bids and accept those that "would generate net savings and would otherwise work to accomplish the government's operational and personnel management goals."
One-third
The fraction of military members moved by the Department of Defense every year, according to a recent RAND Corporation report -- Tour Lengths, Permanent Changes of Station, and Alternatives for Savings and Improved Stability. The report looked at how much money could be saved if DoD reduced the number of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves by extending tours of duty. Because a variety of alternatives were considered, the estimated annual savings range was broad -- $19 million to $84 million.
RAND researchers found:
A majority of those currently serving overseas and those who have recently served overseas would not volunteer for an extension. Their responses suggest that a mandatory program would adversely impact quality of life and could negatively impact morale and possible job performance.
However, "a substantial fraction of those serving overseas would be willing to extend their tour of service if a sufficiently attractive incentive package were offered."
The researchers recommend "an auction mechanism that would allow servicemembers to bid for extensions to their current overseas tours." Essentially, each Service member would submit a bid on the amount of incentive pay he or she would accept to extend his or her tour of duty. The DoD would then rank the bids and accept those that "would generate net savings and would otherwise work to accomplish the government's operational and personnel management goals."