Optimizing Warfighters’ Intellectual Capability: Return on Investment of Military Education and Research

Abstract

The Department of Defense (DoD) sends a large number of officers to various military universities to obtain graduate degrees, perform academic research, and acquire the technical skills and nontechnical competencies highly valued in their respective billets. The cost of sending an officer to a 1.5- to 2-year program for a master’s degree or doctorate may be upwards of $250,000–$500,000 per officer, plus the costs associated with temporary duty away from their billets for 3–4 years. The question is whether the benefits of such education and research are indeed greater than the cost incurred by the DoD. The proposed methodologies in this article apply theoretical constructs by using a systems approach to utilization; convolution methods to determine the frequency and quantity of use; and an analytical framework, empirical impact analysis, and work life-cycle approach. The research also includes an examination of three short case studies that deal with the value of military research: (1) a return on investment (ROI) case study on the Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Program (NPS ARP); (2) an ROI case study on the ROI of NPS education; and (3) an ROI case study on Defense Acquisition University. The research findings indicate a statistically significant positive impact on the retention of graduating officers, lower attendance cost, and greater DoD control of the courses covered. Finally, the author concludes that the ROI of a training initiative might be intrinsic, unmeasurable, and subjective, rather than simple applications of specific knowledge or learned skill sets on the job.