Research Summaries

Back MEPS Workload Balance and Capacity Rationalization

Fiscal Year 2021
Division Graduate School of Business & Public Policy
Department Graduate School of Business & Public Policy
Investigator(s) Seagren, Chad W.
Doerr, Kenneth
Sponsor United States Military Entrance Processing Command (Army)
Summary The U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) is charged with screening all applicants for enlistment into the U.S. Armed Forces according to the qualification standards of each of the four services. These applicants are screened and processed at one of 65 Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) distributed throughout the United States, to include Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Archived data exists that describes the daily work each site has experienced in the broad categories such of medical, testing, and processing. The workload between stations can vary widely, as certain sites serve areas with denser populations of applicants. The workload at each station also tends to exhibit seasonal variations due to the fact that recruiting effort is more intense in the summer months. This workload variability at and between MEPS presents unique challenges for deciding on optimal capacity levels. We will consider three general ways to mitigate the problem of over-utilization at the MEPS we identify. The first is to add capacity at the affected MEPS. The second is to add capacity in the general vicinity like a Remote Processing Unit (RPU). The third is to move an existing MEPS from one location to another. Our analysis will identify the centers most in need of mitigation. Due to the unique circumstances at each MEPS, sponsor input is necessary to determine which types of mitigation to be considered at each location, as well as the relevant details. For example, adding capacity of a certain type might be unfeasible at a particular MEPS due to building constraints at that location, while RPUs might be limited to a particular size in certain cities due to factors like costs.
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