June 19th, 2008
Back in 2004, Navy Recruiting Command commissioned a couple of studies. LMI to take a look at overall effectiveness of recruiting commands structure and an RCI study to evaluate the effectiveness of headquarter operations.
The LMI study provided the recommendations needed to reduce the number of recruiting district headquarters to the current 26, and also facilitated the closing of regions central and south and the moving of regions north and west’s headquarters to Millington, TN.
If I remember correctly, the RCI study was completed but only gave a second “thumbs-up” to the LMI plan. Both studies were expensive, but predicted massive savings in logistics and personnel and fell in line with what the headquarters staff and the Navy wanted to have happen in the first place.
Well, it appears Navy Recruiting Command has decided it is time to run another study, this one can run up to $12.3 million over three years.
The McLean-based management and technology consulting firm will create cost modeling and other management tools to help the Command, which is tasked with maintaining the Navy’s reserve force, make better business decisions.
This study appears to be focused on the reserve mission. When Navy Reserve Recruiting was integrated into Navy Recruiting Command it was the, “Big fish swallowing the little fish” as one active duty region commander so eloquently put it. Active and reserve command structures were essentially the same but the only similarities in how we attained mission success was the fact that both needed bodies. How a recruiter would go about finding, processing and shipping that body was different.
The integration was difficult. Reserve recruiting tactics and processes were forced to become more like the active recruiting model, and very few, if any, tactics and processes of the reserve component were adopted by the active members. A wedge started to form between the active and reserve members – for the most part, your input was only credible if you came from the component your idea/input was for.
Are there issues that need to be addressed? Absolutely. My question is, with all the super educated people we have in the Navy, why do we have to go outside the service to evaluate processes?
We have the resources – most officers above the rank of LT have completed their masters degree and have experience in process improvement, and I would bet we have sent and paid for members to learn the Six Sigma business improvement methodology the BearingPoint Inc. members will be using for this latest study commissioned by CNRC.
“It is always good to have outside eyes take a look.” Bull crap. Every command in the military operates under the philosophy of the commander who operates within mandated guidelines such as logistics, reporting and accountability processes. This study may change who reserve recruiters report to by reverting to what once was. The study will for a fact project cost savings over a certain period of time that of course will be applied to another study in 4 years.
Stop the cycle of madness!
Here is my proposal – Get a few of the projected 3,125 Navy Captains and one of the 218 Admirals (who will be recruited by these same companies and do these studies when they retire by the way) to spend a week or so doing an evaluation influenced by what Navy Recruiting staff wants in the first place and save a few million for the tax payer.
Do retirees get Benny Suggs?
Read Comments (2)
It sounds to me like another lousy excuse to waste more money when the people that know how things should go are already in the military like you said and familiar with the processes and what could be improved.