Courtesy Photo | Dr. Nathan Ainspan, MCTO senior research psychologist, spearheaded the inaugural...... read more read more
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Federal agencies gathered for the inaugural Department of Defense (DoD) Military-Civilian Transition Office (MCTO) Predictive Analytics Summit, held on May 14-15. The summit aimed to foster collaboration and synergy among partners within the transition and reintegration space.
"This summit represents a critical opportunity for federal agencies to come together and leverage data to improve our service members' transition," remarked Mr. Michael Miller, Director of DoD MCTO.
"By fostering collaboration and sharing insights, we can drive evidence-based changes that become a generational life-changer.”
The event attracted 40 attendees from various federal agencies, providing a platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and exploration of innovative approaches to leverage data to support service members as they transition from military to civilian life.
Although DoD regularly collaborates with interagency partners, the driving force of this summit was to engage with federal agencies adjacent to the transition space.
“We want to have conversations that will ultimately lead to winning results,” said Dr. Nathan Ainspan, MCTO senior research psychologist who spearheaded the event.
Dr. Jerome Jones, Chief of Evaluation and Assessments at DoD MCTO, highlighted the evolving nature of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), stating, “TAP is an ever-evolving program. We are now including transition factors such as housing, a sense of belonging, and employment. The definition of a successful transition is a service member achieving their goals.”
During the VA overview segment, Dr. Joseph Geraci, Director Veterans Affairs (VA) Transitioning Service Member and Suicide Prevention Center, provided insights into methods for reducing suicide among transitioning service members.
“When a service member transitions, they are entering the highest-risk period they’ll ever be in through their entire life as a veteran, and that risk level stays elevated for up to six years,” Dr. Geraci said.
“From a holistic approach, the less pain a service member experiences, the less likely they are to commit suicide. Too often, the need for community and connections is left out of the conversation. We will continue focusing on reducing reintegration difficulties and making seamless connections to government systems,” he added.
Summit focal points also included "Best Practices and Considerations for Using Predictive Analytics to Inform Job and Career Outcomes,” presented by Dr. Chelsea Song, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management at Indiana University.
Dr. Song explained why individuals thrive in a certain position to help veterans identify roles in which they will excel.
“Weigh predictors while reducing bias to help create models that accurately reflect a veteran’s potential as they move into the civilian workforce.”
The summit’s long-term objective is to achieve consistent outcomes across the executive branch of the government through a focus on predictive analytics. Looking ahead, participants discussed the potential of predictive analytics to forecast transition outcomes.
"With more data and time, predictive analytics could tell us the impact of military service on income," noted Dr. Ainspan. "Understanding these correlations can help us tailor transition programs to better support veterans in achieving financial stability post-service."
During these insightful discussions, the summit underscored the concerted effort required to orchestrate such a multifaceted initiative, bringing together diverse stakeholders from across federal agencies led by MCTO.
“This has been months in the making, getting all the federal agencies involved,” said Alex Cruz, Chief of Operations at DoD MCTO.
“We look forward to engaging discussions and meaningful connections that will ultimately enhance the transition experience for our service members.”
Every year, approximately 200,000 men and women leave U.S. military service and return to civilian life, a process known as the military-to-civilian transition. TAP provides information, tools, and training to ensure service members, their spouses, and/or caregivers are prepared for the next step in civilian life.
Support and resources are also offered through our Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (YRRP) to promote the well-being of Reserve Component members, their families, and communities, by connecting them with resources throughout the deployment cycle.
| Date Taken: | 05.16.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.16.2024 15:45 |
| Story ID: | 471460 |
| Location: | ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 281 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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