Air Force Reserve Force Structure Policy Evaulation Model

The United States Air Force Reserve is a constantly changing force. In response to these changes, the Active Guard Reserve (AGR), a small organization within the Reserve, is seeking to create a career track for Unit and Headquarters' Officers. It is necessary for the AGR policy division to be able to evaluate the availability of career paths to accomplish this goal. The Air Force Reserve Force Structure Evaluation Model provides the AGR management with a tool to aid them in evaluating policy impact. This model allows the AGR management to identify the impact policy changes may have on the resulting force structure and is to be used as part of an iterative policy driven management cycle. This study implements a Markov Chain model providing the user with several advantages to aid them in their decision process. The study evaluates several different objective functions in order to illustrate the impact a policy may have on the force structure. The conclusion of the study is that the current UMD requirements for the AGR do not allow for a viable career path for officers regardless of the policy implemented.