Assessment of Deployment- and Mobilization-to-Dwell Policies for Active and Reserve Component Forces: An Examination of Current Policy Using Select U.S. Joint Force Elements

Using case studies of four joint force elements — the Army's armored brigade combat team, the Marine Corps' infantry battalion, the Air Force's KC-135 fleet, and the Navy's aircraft carrier — RAND researchers examine Department of Defense (DoD) policy that governs how much time service members must spend at home relative to time spent deployed or mobilized. They then suggest policy changes to inform and optimize DoD's force utilization decisions.