Studies & Analysis

Common Research Lines of Effort

• Manpower Analysis Branch (MPA): MPA is a branch within Manpower Plans and Policy Division that is staffed by Operations Research Analysts to provide analytical support to M&RA.

• Marine Corps Studies System (MCSS): MCSS is a continuous program of studies and analysis to assist the Marine Corps in making combat development, programmatic, and warfighting decisions that is executed by the Operations Analysis Directorate (OAD) within Combat Development and Integration (CD&I). Three times a year, OAD releases a call for studies MARADMIN requesting topic submissions. These submissions are then considered at the upcoming studies review board. At the SRB, topics are evaluated and potentially picked up for research either internally to OAD or by an external agency. MPA advocates for manpower-related submissions to MCSS.

• Center for Naval Analysis (CNA): CNA is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) that is sponsored by the Department of the Navy. CNA is staffed with a wide variety of research specialists capable of qualitative and quantitative analysis. MPA liaisons with CNA for additional analytical support on manpower-related topics.