The U.S. Army relies on two premier analytical organizations to inform its most critical decisions: the Center for Army Analysis (CAA) and the TRADOC Analysis Center (TRAC). Located at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, CAA provides senior Army leadership with objective, independent analysis on strategic-level issues, force structure, and major resourcing decisions, operating directly for the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Complementing this high-level focus, TRAC is the Army's lead organization for operational and tactical analysis, examining how the future force will fight and what it will require to win. Headquartered at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, with major subordinate centers at locations such as White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, and Fort Lee, Virginia, TRAC directly supports the Army Futures Command in developing future concepts, doctrine, and requirements.
Center for Army Analysis (CAA)
CAA is the U.S. Army's premier strategic think tank, providing objective analysis to inform critical, senior-level decisions.
Mission & Focus
- Purpose: Conducts decision support analysis on national security issues for the Army's senior-most leadership.
- Scope: Operates across the spectrum of conflict in a Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational (JIIM) context.
- Vision: To be the recognized authority on the independent analysis of land warfare.
Organization & Personnel
- Structure: A blended team of approximately 100 civilians and 30 military personnel.
- Synergy: Civilians provide long-term continuity and deep technical expertise, while military members offer current operational experience.
Core Analyst: The ORSA (FA49)
- Role: Operations Research and Systems Analysts (ORSA) are the analytical backbone, serving as campaign analysts and study directors.
- Responsibilities:
- Analyze Combatant Command OPLANs and DoD force deployment scenarios.
- Develop analytical approaches using wargaming, statistics, and systems analysis.
- Employ high-end models and simulations like the Combat Sample Generator (COSAGE).
- Audience: Delivers findings to the Army Staff, Joint Staff, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
TRADOC Analysis Center (TRAC)
TRAC is the U.S. Army's center for operational and tactical analysis, focusing on how the future force will fight and what it will require to win.
Mission & Focus
- Purpose: To produce relevant and credible operations analysis to inform Army and Department of Defense decisions, often looking 5-15 years into the future.
- Scope: Leads major studies on new warfighting concepts, conducts Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) for major acquisition programs, and develops scenarios for future military operations.
- Vision: Serves as the Army's lead organization for operational analysis, directly supporting the Army Futures Command (AFC).
Organization & Personnel
- Structure: A workforce of approximately 230 civilians and 68 military personnel.
- Subordinate Centers: TRAC is headquartered at Fort Leavenworth, KS, and has four major subordinate centers with distinct analytical functions:
- TRAC-Fort Leavenworth (TRAC-FLVN): Focuses on operational-level (Corps/Division) analysis.
- TRAC-White Sands Missile Range (TRAC-WSMR): Focuses on tactical-level (Brigade and below) analysis.
- TRAC-Fort Gregg-Adams (TRAC-FGAV): Focuses on sustainment and logistics analysis.
- TRAC-Monterey: Researches new models and methodologies at the Naval Postgraduate School.
Core Function
- Analysis-Driven: TRAC relies on a highly skilled workforce to conduct operations research on a wide range of military topics.
- Future-Oriented: Its primary role is to provide the analytical foundation needed to develop future Army concepts, doctrine, and requirements to ensure the Army remains dominant on future battlefields.
Other Major Army Analytic Hubs
Beyond TRAC and CAA, the U.S. Army has numerous other organizations with significant analytical functions. These hubs are spread across the force to support critical tasks such as concept and requirements development, programming, cost estimation, and modeling.
| Organization | Mil Personnel | Civ Personnel |
|---|---|---|
| DEVCOM Analysis Center | 8 | 500 |
| Futures and Concepts Center | 34 | 76 |
| United States Military Academy | 34 | 2 |
| Combined Arms Center | 3 | 6 |
| Army War College | 4 | 3 |
Advantages for a first time ORSA
For a new Operations Research and Systems Analyst (ORSA), an assignment at one of the Army's premier analysis centers offers an unparalleled foundation for a successful career. These organizations provide the unique opportunity to work on some of the Army’s most challenging problems, serving as a critical bridge between the operational force and the enterprise-level decisions made at the Pentagon. This experience is significantly enhanced by the unique learning environment, where analysts learn their trade surrounded by fellow ORSAs, which fosters mentorship, collaboration, and the creation of a lifelong professional network. Furthermore, these centers provide direct exposure to cutting-edge analytical tools, simulations, and quantitative methods, complemented by numerous professional development opportunities that ensure analysts remain at the forefront of their field.