The Recruiting Station Location Evaluation System (RSLES): A Summary Report

Abstract

RSLES(RECRUITING STATION LOCATION EVALUATION SYSTEM) Abstract: The Department of Defense and the Joint Recruiting Facilities Committee oversee the operation and maintenance of recruiting facilities for the Service recruiting commands. DOD is concerned with identifying the most cost- effective geographic locations for the Services recruiting offices. This report provides an overview of the Recruiting Station Location Project undertaken for the Assistant Secretary of Defense (FMP), Office of Accession Policy. The project developed models to assess the costs and benefits of alternative geographic locations for recruiting offices. The model is contained in the Recruiting Station Location Evaluation System (RSLES), which combines extensive ZIP code level data bases with an optimization routine and a geographic mapping capability. RSLES chooses optimal geographic locations for recruiting offices by balancing the impact of pre-specified ZIP code locations on costs and on new contract production. The report summarizes the components of the RSLES system. These include: the data bases of ZIP code level contracts and other demographic attributes; boundary files for all U.S. ZIP codes and ZIP code address of recruiting offices; econometric cost and contract production models; and, the optimization and mapping software. The report also details the architecture of the RSLES system and the integrating shell. Finally, the report describes efforts to apply and validate the RSLES system using data on Navy stationing actions in FY99 and FY00. The applications identify significant improvements in production that could be achieved by application of the RLSES model.Prepared for: Directorate for Accession Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (FMP), Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (MPP)MIPR #97APAD0058Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited