Using Personnel Distribution Models.

The objective of the Navy's rotation policy is to provide sufficient opportunity for enlisted personnel to serve ashore, but at the same time have enough personnel rotating to sea to maintain established sea manning levels. Rotation which promotes morale and retention, however, may not produce acceptable sea/shore distributions. Consequently, rotation policies must be determined which provide a compromise between these conflicting considerations. The purpose of this paper is to describe models to assist personnel managers in making these policy decisions. Although developed specifically for incorporation in the Navy manpower management system, the models should be applicable -- with appropriate modifications -- to a variety of considerations involving the periodic rotation of an inventory. Two models were developed. One is an aggregate model based on a simplified force structure and steady-state assumption; the other is an expanded model based on a more detailed dynamic simulation of personnel flows in a rating or detailing community.