OPTIMIZING MARINE CORPS INSTALLATION READINESS

Abstract

Marine Corps Installations Command (MCICOM) (enacted in 2012) exercises command and control over United States Marine Corps (USMC) installations through regional commanders. The department manages over 27,000 buildings and structures across 25 installations. In November 2016, the commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC), signed the Infrastructure Reset (IR) strategy to fundamentally alter the USMC's infrastructure lifecycle management. The intent of this strategy is to optimize the USMC’s assets in order to maximize support to operational readiness at minimal lifecycle costs. In this thesis, we develop a quantitative analysis and decision support tool in the form of a Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP) to enable data-driven and informed decisions that best support the operating forces in line with the CMC's IR strategy. The IR multivariate decision tool uses a quantitative framework to summarize, describe, and optimize the USMC’s infrastructure portfolio. The tool provides quantitative justification for funding, informs the Program Objective Memorandum (POM), and establishes readiness goals for MCICOM and the subordinate regions and installations. Results show that under the current budgetary constraints, MCICOM has little ability to improve installation readiness by manipulating its four levers of investment. We find MCICOM requires a budget of roughly one and half times its current annual limit to achieve installation readiness levels set forth by the IR strategy.