Readiness reporting is about the processes and systems used to assess and communicate the current, or “operational,” readiness of the force. This answers half of Ken Betts’ central question of readiness for when — which forces have to be ready now, or “just in case,” versus brought to full readiness and deployed to the fight “just in time.” It also introduces the enterprise-level processes of managing and reporting readiness, specifically the Chairman’s Readiness System and the Quarterly Readiness Review to Congress. The other half is covered in the Force Generation rack.

From unit status reporting to strategic readiness reporting systems such as DRRS (Defense Readiness Reporting System), DoD and the services have long established methods for capturing data on how ready its units are at any given time – traditionally measured as the readiness of the unit’s personnel and materiel, both quantity on-hand and their status (trained or maintained, respectively). The readiness reports should help leaders prioritize remedial measures. If a unit is short personnel, then the enterprise should prioritize getting those slots filled. If a unit’s equipment is broken, then the enterprise should provide the needed parts and access to maintenance facilities.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This rack provides resources related to readiness measures and readiness reporting systems. The focus is largely on operational readiness, which measures the fill rates and conditions of personnel and materiel against organizational specifications.

​​​​​​​– Tom Galvin

Shelf RR.00 — General

This shelf provides general resources about the theory and practice of readiness reporting and assessment.

Faculty Publications:

• None.

Laws, Policies, Memos, and Regulations (sorted by regulation number):

• AR 220-1, Army Unit Status Reporting and Force Registration – Consolidated Practices, April 2010.
• AR 525-30, Army Strategic and Operational Readiness, April 2020.
• CJCS Guide 3401D, CJCS Guide to the Chairman’s Readiness System, November 2010.
• CJCS Instruction 3100.01D, Enclosure D, “Comprehensive Joint Readiness,” 2018.
• CJCS Instruction 3401.01, Joint Combat Capability Assessment.  E Version (2010) | D Version (2004) [as Chairman’s Readiness System]
• CJCS Instruction 3401.02B, Force Readiness Reporting, May 2011.
• DA Pam 525-30, Army Strategic Readiness Assessment Procedures, June 2015.

Strategies and Reports:

• Pickup, Sharon. MILITARY READINESS: Opportunities Exist to Improve Completeness and Usefulness of Quarterly Reports to Congress, Report #GAO-13-678 (Washington, DC: Government Accountability Office, 2013).
• Harrison, Todd. “Rethinking Readiness,” Strategic Studies Quarterly 8, no. 3 (Fall 2014): 38-68.
• Martin, Bradley et al. Measuring Strategic Readiness: Identifying Metrics for Core Dimensions (Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2021), https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA453-1.html
• Moore, S. Craig, et al., Measuring Military Readiness and Sustainability (Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1991), https://www.rand.org/pubs/reports/R3842.html 

Commentaries (inclusion does not represent endorsement):

• Donnelly, Thomas and James M. Cunningham, Army Readiness Assessment, Vol. 1 (American Enterprise Institute, May 2017), https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/army-readiness-assessment-vol-1
• Lipsky, Theo. “Unit Status Reports and the Gaming of Readiness,” Military Review(September-October 2020): 148-157, https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/English-Edition-Archives/September-October-2020/Lipsky-Unit-Status-Report/

Shelf RR.DR — Defense Readiness Reporting System (DRRS)

This shelf contains a wealth of resources related to the creation, implementation, and evolution of the Defense Readiness Reporting System (or DRRS) and its service-level subsystems.

Faculty & Student Publications:

• Dewey, John T., Defense Readiness Reporting System: A Better Way to Measure Readiness? Strategy Research Project, 2007.

Laws, Policies, Memos, and Regulations (sorted by regulation number):

• USD, “Department of Defense Readiness Reporting System (DRRS) Interim Implementation Guidance,” issued via memorandum in serial form:
  • Serial 1.0, November 2, 2004.
  • Serial 2.0, August 10, 2005.
  • Serial 3.0, January 17, 2006.
  • Serial 4.0, August 23, 2006.
• DoD, Handbook for Conducting Mission Assessments in DRRS, December 2005 (version 5). 
• DoD Directive 7730.65, Department of Defense Readiness Reporting System (DRRS): 2018 (Change 1) | 2002 (Original)
• DoD, DRRS Primer for Senior Leaders, 2011.
• Angello Jr., Joseph J. Defense Readiness Reporting System (DRRS): A Net-Centric Model (presentation, Washington, DC: Department of Defense, 2007).

Strategies and Reports:

• Gilmore J. Michael. Issues that Affect the Readiness of the Army National Guard and Army Reserve, statement before the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves (Washington, DC: Congressional Budget Office, 2007).
• Hite, Randolph C. MILITARY READINESS: DoD Needs to Strengthen Management and Oversight of the Defense Readiness Reporting System, Report #GAO-09-518 (Washington, DC: Government Accountability Office, 2009).
• Tillson, John C. F. (project leader). Independent Review of DoD’s Readiness Reporting System, IDA Paper P-3569 (Washington, DC: Institute for Defense Analyses, 2000/2002).
  • This report was completed under contract by the government and is freely available for the use of government personnel.

Commentaries (inclusion does not represent endorsement):

• Junor, Laura J., “The Defense Readiness Reporting System: A New Tool for Management,” Joint Force Quarterly 39 (2005): 30-33.
• Trunkey, Derek. “Implications of the Department of Defense Readiness Reporting System” (working paper, Washington, DC: Congressional Budget Office, 2013).

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Title image credit: U.S. Army photo, public domain.