Air Force units have found differences between authorized and actual numbers of personnel, partly because of deployments. Using historical and other data and interviews, the authors assessed the wing-level effects of these disparities including skill levels and personnel tempo. The recommendations include improvements in manpower bookkeeping and requirement determination, use of dynamic simulation models, and implementation of suitable metrics.

This monograph describes research into the U.S. Air Force's manpower, personnel, and training system and current personnel tempo (PERSTEMPO) issues. It discusses this system and how it functions and makes suggestions about how it might be improved in the future. To illustrate some of the interactions, it also describes a nine-year retrospective examination of Air Force manpower requirements, funded authorizations, and assignments in key functional areas at representative installations. The objective of this research has been to develop policies and procedures to help the Air Force achieve and maintain an appropriate balance between funded manpower authorizations, skill levels, and PERSTEMPO.