R&D in Support of DOD Enlistment, Testing and Evaluation

The United States Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) is the vital link between recruiting and training America's armed forces. The Command applies established DoW standards during military processing thereby providing continuing military enlistments to the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Space Force. USMEPCOM processes applicants for military service through 65 Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) across the Continental United States (CONUS) as well as Non-Foreign Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) locations. USMEPCOM began processing applicants for service in the 1970s using a by-hand paper intensive process. In 1995, USMEPCOM introduces the United States Military Entrance Processing Command Integrated Resource System (USMIRS) 1.0. USMIRS provides automated Services for conducting aptitude tests and medical examinations and administratively processing, enlisting, and shipping applicants for the Armed Forces, Reserves, and Coast Guard. This includes the support for automated versions of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) tests. The system also initiates Social Security Administration (SSA) checks for identity verification, interfaces with US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) to verify citizenship status, and interfaces with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) for background screening. The system utilizes digital fingerprints to identify/eliminate individuals with criminal records from entering military service. USMIRS supports recruiting mobilization through electronic links with the Selective Service System as ARISS, AIE, DMDC, and DCSA etc.) In the event a military draft is required, USMIRS supports mobilization through electronic links with the Selective Service System (SSS) as well as automated support for conducting aptitude tests and medical examinations and administratively processing, inducting, and shipping SSS registrants. In FY2021, USMEPCOM launched the USMIRS 1.1 Minimal Viable Product (MVP). The MVP modernizes and expands the core functionality of USMIRS and migrates it to the cloud. The resulting system is automated, scalable, and secure.

The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) executes DHRA’s responsibility to provide a central source of identification and authorization of people throughout their affiliation with DoW for identity protection, security, and entitlements and benefits verification. This funding will support the evaluation and testing emerging technologies that will develop more robust and secure capabilities for the Department’s ICM program. The ICM program supports research, development, test, and evaluation efforts to deploy new identity and credential management technologies, including modernization of Real-Time Automated Personnel Identification System (RAPIDS) Suite to the My DoD Identity Solution (MYDIS) and enabling additional populations serviced by MyAuth, and to meet business system compliance standards, including cybersecurity. The ICM program will continue to develop modern credentialling standards to replace legacy Real-time Automated Personnel Identification System (RAPIDS) with My DoD Identity Solution (MYDIS). MYDIS significantly enhances the DoW's identity and credential management capabilities by providing essential Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) -201 compliant record-keeping, a critical feature currently absent in RAPIDS. This comprehensive solution will also streamline operations by consolidating several existing programs, including NIPRNet Enterprise Alternate Token Issuance and Management System (NEATS), into a single, unified system for the Department. ICM will also continue with the development of its modernized identity and credentialing capability. MyAuth reduces duplicative costs across the DoW for Component level systems that satisfy the same alternative multi-factor authentication use cases.

The primary mission of Office of People Analytics (OPA) Testing and Assessment Division is to test and implement more accurate methods of assessing aptitudes required for military enlistment, success in training, and performance on the job. Also, it includes implementing methods that are useful in the identification of persons with the high aptitudes required by today’s smaller and more technically demanding military, and the identification of persons compatible with military core values, to include administering testing programs, which enable the Armed Services to select highly qualified military recruits. The DoW aims to deliver a single noncognitive assessment to complement the existing Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), toward a more holistic assessment of recruits. The Joint-Service Tailored Adaptive Personality Assessment System (JS-TAPAS) has been developed and will be administered to approximately 360,000 applicants for Military Service as part of the DoW Enlistment Testing program. Similar noncognitive assessments are under review to support officer candidate assessment across 5 Services.

The DEERS is the DoW’s authoritative eligibility and enrollment repository for manpower, personnel identity, and affiliation data on military, civilians, retirees, family members, and other populations. DEERS includes identity and personnel data for roughly 60 million persons, including current, retired, and former members of the Uniformed services and their family members. In addition, DEERS maintains records for Veterans and their caregivers. DEERS interfaces with other federal agency systems to share service members’ Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record (VLER) for veterans’ benefits determination. The VLER and Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance Online Enrollment System (SOES) applications have not been modernized since their inception. The applications still rely on manual data-sharing processes that result in incomplete and untimely data that does not meet current cybersecurity standards. Current solutions use outdated technologies that prevent agile change, the ability to accommodate timely policy changes, or to meet modern compliance or availability standards. Specific elements will position DoW data to more flexibly support evolving DoW benefits; improve support of PACT Act data needs; update sharing of DD214 data, as well as contact information gathered in the Transitional Assistance Program (TAP), as required under the NDAA for FY 2020 and DoDI 1336.01; refine data sharing with the Department of Labor to better support unemployment compensation for those separating from service; and refresh technology for VLER and SOES applications to reduce technical footprint and comply with security and modern programming standards. The scope of VLER and SOES share similar business requirements, beneficiary bases, and a common customer in the VA.

This program is focused on Data as a Strategic Asset, recognizing its value for reporting, analytics, insights, decision-making, and Zero Trust. Having quality data that is accessible, trustworthy, and interoperable helps improve operations, promotes innovation, reduces risk, and improves stakeholder relationships. Efforts in this area support: the National Defense Strategy goal of Dynamic Force Deployment; the National Defense Business Operation Plan goal for reforming business practices for greater performance and affordability; the DoW Data Strategy for Visible, Accessible, Understandable, Linked, Trustworthy, Interoperable, and Secure data; the Personnel and Readiness (P&R) Strategy for achieving data-dominance; the Joint DoW VA Data Strategy; and the DoW Zero Trust Strategy. Supports research and development projects to provide “data as a service” and “analytics as a service” and improve data access through Data Delivery Services (DDS) Application Programming Interface (API).

Personnel Support Programs (PSP) is comprised of the various programs that support personnel throughout the department, including personnel accountability and travel mission space. The Defense Travel System (DTS) provides an automated, end-to-end travel management system that enables DoW travelers to create authorizations and travel orders, prepare reservations, receive approvals, generate travel vouchers, and receive reimbursement. This initiative supports the development and deployment of modernized travel management services.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) administers many of the federal responsibilities of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) of 1986 and other federal military voter registration and assistance laws. FVAP works to ensure Service members, their eligible family members and overseas citizens are aware of their right to vote and have the tools and resources to successfully do so – from anywhere in the world. FVAP works to increase the likelihood of interested Active Duty Members to use available FVAP resources to increase their level of awareness of available DoW voting assistance resources, which will increase the likelihood of returning their absentee ballot. FVAP conducts voting research projects with states, local election jurisdictions and private entities to assist UOCAVA voters to register to vote and submit their absentee ballot and improve federal, State and local election processes and procedures. FVAP regularly reaches out directly to 1.3 million active duty service members, and attempts to assist the estimated 700,000 military spouses and dependents of voting age. FVAP also attempts to reach out to and assist the estimated 2.8 million overseas citizens of voting age.

The Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) initiative is helping DoW evolve its digital learning systems, including web-based, mobile, instructor-led, on the job, and virtual classroom training across Dedense-wide enterprise systems for training and education. These improvements benefit DoW in several ways: (1) EFFICIENCY: Increase business systems’ efficiency, saving time and resources, by eliminating duplications and developing shared services for digital learning technology and data; (2) EFFECTIVENESS: Improve the quality and efficiency of training/education delivery by developing and fielding modern technologies, integrated data systems, and associated learning science, directly impacting personnel readiness; and(3) INTEROPERABILITY: Strengthen interagency interoperability by developing shared digital learning capabilities and policy and through leadership in DoW and Federal communities of practice. The ADL initiative directly supports all DoW Components, and as a leader in the field of digital learning technologies, also coordinates with other federal agencies and partners.