Accurate Readiness Assessments Essential to Security

Department of Defense leaders have rebuilding military readiness their top priority. The ability to fully and accurately assess readiness, from the whole force right down to individual units—is fundamental to success. Data must be accurate so lives and national security can be preserved. In addition, the ability to project how current investments will impact future readiness is increasingly important.

However, many commanders lack confidence in the assessments they receive today. This doubt is based on readiness reports that indicate an ability to deploy rapidly, fight, and win decisively against a near-peer enemy capable of employing conventional and irregular capabilities. It may sound promising, but, over the past 14 years, the force has not had the opportunities—through training or experience—to conduct decisive unified land operations against such a hybrid threat.

Concerns with reporting extends to the data, the systems that collect and process that data, and the readiness models used to decide what data is considered and how it’s analyzed. These shortfalls in data, systems, and models that support readiness management are critical issues because commanders are making budget, spending, and deployment decisions based on a picture that may be skewed and incomplete. As a result, outcomes may fall short of expectations.

There is a more dynamic approach to assessing and predicting readiness. Resources can be allocated effectively to achieve readiness required by strategy by using a two-pronged strategy. First, address immediate deficiencies in readiness data and support systems. Second, create a robust data analytics capability for readiness optimization.