Service level optimization for the Marine Corps Institute

The Marine Corps Institute (MCI) is the distance learning center for the United States Marine Corps. MCI's mission is to develop, publish, distribute, and administer distance training and education materials to enhance, support, or develop required skills and knowledge of Marines. It also satisfies other training and education requirements as identified by the Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command. To meet this mission MCI develops and assembles course materials ranging from simple training courses to college level Professional Military Education (PME) programs. Each course or program consists of multiple components that must be printed, stocked, and distributed to all Marines. Currently MCI offers 151 courses comprised of 305 printed components. In 1999 MCI processed over 550,000 requests for course materials. In late 1998 MCI recognized the need to improve their inventory control processes. They desired a means of determining reorder points and reorder quantities for the Marine Corps Institute in order to improve service to Marines in the field. This thesis develops a non-linear program inventory model that minimizes the number of shortages per year, and returns reorder points and reorder quantities, thereby improving MCI's service to the Marine Corpshttp://www.archive.org/details/servicelevelopti00chapOutstanding ThesisLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited