Research for Diversity

We evaluate the “best value” accession source among the Unrestricted Line (URL) Navy officer accession programs. The three biggest officer accession programs are the Naval Academy (USNA), the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC), and Officer Candidate School (OCS). We evaluate the Navy’s current practice of seeking to access officers from these three sources in roughly equal shares. First, we evaluate the cost-effectiveness of deviations from the “one-third” plan. Second, we examine whether officers are more likely to achieve certain career milestones if they came from one particular accession source. Finally, we look at how the accession sources provide the URL with racial/ethnic and gender diversity. Our evaluation of “best value” among the accession sources shows that no single source dominates. We also provided analytical support to the USNA submarine accessions working group and to the Navy Diversity Directorate (N134). The working group made recommendations to increase the visibility and desirability of the submarine community and to change the service selection process. To support N134, we analyzed data on recent applications to USNA and to the NROTC scholarship program and find that both programs will have to substantially increase the number of minority applications to reach diversity goals.

The Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Manpower, Personnel, Training & Education (N1)) has for the seventh year, asked CNA to organize a conference for the Navy manpower and training community leadership and the research organizations that support that community. The conference was held in May of 2007 and like previous conferences it was a success. Once again, the goal of the conference was to help researchers better leverage their resources, provide more useful products, and improve the overall research program. The theme of the Seventh Annual Navy Workforce Research and Analysis Conference was “The Road to a 2025 Total Force.” The title of the keynote address by ADM Patrick M. Walsh, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, was “Navy 2025—Our Role in Joint Ops and Around the World.” Researchers presented briefings in breakout sessions on manpower, personnel, training, education and related topics such as: Thinking about the Navy’s Future, Civilian Workforce Issues, Officer Education Issues, Reserve Issues, Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), Recruit, Attrition, Retention, Compensation, Diversity, and the Supply Chain. This conference report summarizes each of the breakout sessions.