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PREPAS is an acronym for the Precise Personnel Assignment System. When fully implemented, it will consist of a set of interrelated computer models designed to provide manpower planners and managers with efficient training and assignment plans for first-term Marines. PREPAS will become the principal tool for management of a Marine's assignments from boot camp graduation until the end of his first enlistment. In addition, PREPAS will make assignment recommendations for all other enlisted Marines. The purpose of this article is to introduce PREPAS and explain its place in the assignment process.
During the past 30 years, competition has increased among employers for manpower suitable for training in new technology and its applications. These are also the quality people that the Marine Corps needs. Because of the competition for entry level talent (as well as concern for efficient operations), the Corps must make the best use of the people it recruits. When making decisions concerning training and assignment, this means making the best use of the recruit's capabilities while giving the Corps the longest time possible to use the Marine productively during the enlistment. Manpower planners must also support the unit deployment program, ensure uniform readiness, comply with DOD assignment directives, minimize personnel movement costs, maximize the individual's job satisfaction, and treat all Marines as equitably as possible.
In the early seventies, hasty reassignments between units detracted from readiness. This turbulence indicated a lack of a consistent, logical plan for making training and assignment decisions. The number of factors to be considered in the planning process compounded the problem.
In order to reduce this turbulence, PREPAS was designed with three major policy changes in mind. These will be the "ground rules" of this assignment system. The first of these will obligate Headquarters Marine Corps to...