Defense Manpower Data Center
Encyclopedia
The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) serves under the Office of the Secretary of Defense
to collate personnel, manpower, training, financial, and other data for the Department of Defense
. This data catalogues the history of personnel in the military and their family for purposes of healthcare, retirement funding and other administrative needs.
DMDC was established in 1974 as the Manpower Research and Data Analysis Center (MARDAC) and made a DoD tenet activity within the U.S. Navy. In 1976, it was made a Field Activity of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower & Reserve Affairs (OASD (M&RA)) and renamed the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). One year later, DMDC was transferred to the Defense Logistics Agency
(DLA) for administrative support and in 1991 was designated a Defense Support Activity supported by DLA. While the name and the supporting activity have varied over the years, DMDC's primary function has always been to support the information management needs of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness (OUSD (P&R)) and its predecessors.
DMDC was established at a time of great turbulence in the Department of Defense. The Vietnam War
had just ended, active military forces and military personnel strengths were being reduced significantly, the Total Force Policy was being initiated, and the All-Volunteer Force era had just begun. To manage through this period, OASD (M&RA) established DMDC to collect and maintain accurate, readily available manpower and personnel data.
The mission of DMDC can be summarized as follows:
Office of the Secretary of Defense
The Office of the Secretary of Defense is a headquarters-level staff of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. It is the principal civilian staff element of the Secretary of Defense, and it assists the Secretary in carrying out authority, direction and control of the Department...
to collate personnel, manpower, training, financial, and other data for the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. This data catalogues the history of personnel in the military and their family for purposes of healthcare, retirement funding and other administrative needs.
DMDC was established in 1974 as the Manpower Research and Data Analysis Center (MARDAC) and made a DoD tenet activity within the U.S. Navy. In 1976, it was made a Field Activity of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower & Reserve Affairs (OASD (M&RA)) and renamed the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). One year later, DMDC was transferred to the Defense Logistics Agency
Defense Logistics Agency
The Defense Logistics Agency is an agency in the United States Department of Defense, with more than 26,000 civilian and military personnel throughout the world...
(DLA) for administrative support and in 1991 was designated a Defense Support Activity supported by DLA. While the name and the supporting activity have varied over the years, DMDC's primary function has always been to support the information management needs of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness (OUSD (P&R)) and its predecessors.
DMDC was established at a time of great turbulence in the Department of Defense. The Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
had just ended, active military forces and military personnel strengths were being reduced significantly, the Total Force Policy was being initiated, and the All-Volunteer Force era had just begun. To manage through this period, OASD (M&RA) established DMDC to collect and maintain accurate, readily available manpower and personnel data.
The mission of DMDC can be summarized as follows:
- Collect and maintain an archive of automated manpower, personnel, training, and other databases for the Department of Defense,
- Support the information requirements of the OUSD (P&R) and other members of the DoD manpower, personnel, and training communities with accurate, timely, and consistent data,
- Operate DoD-wide personnel programs and conduct research and analysis as directed by the OUSD (P&R).