At the request of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (DCSPER),
RAND conducted a project entitled “Personnel Policy Implications of
Army Distance Learning. ” The goal of this effort was to help the Army
maintain readiness and manage personnel efficiently as it implements
distance learning (DL) throughout its Active and Reserve Component
training systems. Initially, we described the potential scope of impact
of the Army's distance learning program and established a framework
for assessing personnel policy issues; that analysis documented the
need to examine more specifically the potential of DL to improve
readiness. Subsequently, we focused on ways to capitalize on DL to
enhance personnel readiness, focusing on two areas: (1) DL's potential
for reducing personnel shortages in Army enlisted occupations and (2)
DL's effect on stability and the professional development of soldiers.

In this report we provide a broad overview ofthe research conducted
over the course of this project and then discuss some ways in which the
Army can further leverage the potential of DL technologies.

The research was conducted in RAND Arroyo Center's Manpower and
Training Program. The Arroyo Center is a federally funded research
and development center sponsored by the United States Army.

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