Air Force Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Programs and Services: Contribution to Airman and Family Resilience and Readiness

Abstract

Morale, Recreation, and Welfare (MWR) programs and services are considered an integral part of building resilient and ready Airmen and families. However, the Air Force currently lacks an evidence-informed evaluation framework for its MWR portfolio, especially one that identifies short-term and intermediate outcomes that contribute to Airmen and family resilience and readiness. These earlier outcomes can be thought of as precursors to overall resilience and readiness. A necessary first step in determining the possible impact of the MWR portfolio is to identify, and then assess, how each individual program or service contributes to resilience and readiness.The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of the method used to develop a model of the precursors, or building blocks, of resilience and readiness. It also presents the model itself, focusing on direct and indirect building blocks at the individual, family, peer/squadron, and community levels. Ultimately this model provides the basis for a comparison of evidenceinformed resilience and readiness building blocks to the short-term and immediate outcomes targeted by programs and services within the Air Force MWR portfolio. This matching process helps the Air Force understand how its portfolio of MWR programs and services may enable and enhance a more resilient and ready force. It does not, however, identify whether MWR programs and services are actually meeting their intended objectives.The report concludes with a discussion of the data needed-primarily, measures of effectiveness-to assess whether MWR programs and services are achieving their intended outcomes. In this section, a notional, ideal data management system is compared to Air Force current practice. Where gaps exist, recommendations are developed to address them. The report concludes with a discussion of next steps that the Air Force can take to move closer to evaluating the capabilities of the MWR portfolio with respect to enhancing Airman and family resilience and readiness.The research reported here was commissioned by Air Force Manpower, Personnel and Services, Directorate of Services (AF/A1S) and conducted within the Manpower, Personnel, and Training Program of RAND Project AIR FORCE as part of a FY 2017 project, "Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Program Contribution to Airman and Family Readiness and Resilience." RAND Project AIR FORCERAND Project AIR FORCE (PAF), a division of the RAND Corporation, is the U.S. Air Force's federally funded research and development center for studies and analyses. PAF provides the Air Force with independent analyses of policy alternatives affecting the development, employment, combat readiness, and support of current and future air, space, and iv cyber forces. Research is conducted in four programs: Strategy and Doctrine; Force Modernization and Employment; Manpower, Personnel, and Training; and Resource Management.