Scheduling the recruiting and MOS training of enlisted marines

Abstract

Non-infantry enlisted Marines progress through Recruit Training, basic infantry training at Marine Combat Training (MCT), and Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) training before finally reporting to their first unit for duty. These Marines are the focus of this thesis. In fiscal year 1998, new recruits spent over 2,700 Marine-years wait time in an unproductive status while waiting on their next training schools to convene. Marine Corps manpower planners believe this level of wait time is unacceptable. This thesis develops two integer linear programs to plan recruiting and MOS school seat scheduling with the primary objective to minimize the time non-infantry enlisted Marines wait for MOS training. The first model, the Long-term Recruiting and MOS School Scheduler (LRAMS) plans both recruiting and MOS training to help MOS training schoolsα develop their training schedules two years prior to execution. The second model, the Short-term Adjusted Recruiting Model (STAR) is used after the MOS training school schedules are published to develop a coordinated recruiting schedule. Results indicate that wait time can be reduced significantly. For fiscal year 2001, LRAMS results provide a wait time of only 160 Marine-years.