By the time some NPS students arrive at their next assignment, their research is already shaping how those organizations operate.
Through the Masters to Mission program, DAFM students are applying graduate-level research to real acquisition and operational challenges – producing analyses, recommendations, and tools that contribute to mission needs.
Created by DAFM assistant professor Dr. Jamie Porchia (Lt Col, USAF) the program connects students with sponsors in their gaining organizations to tackle real-world problems using the research skills they’ve developed throughout their studies:
“I wanted students to be able to take all the different things that they've learned – the different theories, techniques, and tools – from an academic perspective and apply them to a real-world scenario. And I thought it would be even better if they could apply it to the organizations they would be going to.”
For sponsors, it’s a cost-effective way to access high-quality research and rigorous analysis that might be difficult to resource internally. For students, it’s an invaluable opportunity to get to know – and contribute to – the organizations they will join after graduation.
Capt Dan Cary, USAF, was eager to work on a project that would produce something useful before he arrived at his new assignment. His research with the Air Base Air Defense (ABAD) program did just that: it led to an education solution intended to help requirements owners move from an emerging operational need to an executable acquisition action.
Similarly, USAF Capt Denisha Bennett’s project led to operational changes within her gaining organization. Her recommendations on improving communication and engagement were adopted. She now continues to support those efforts, serving in an advisory role for ongoing initiatives.
Capt Rachel Tuck, USAF, was eager to get a jumpstart working with her new organization: “Since it was Space Systems Command, and I knew little about Space at the time, it would be a great way for me to educate myself [...], so I wasn’t completely blind going in and I was more prepared to assist in their mission.”
Capt Tuck investigated how the command was preparing its contracting professionals for their warrant board, a process that required significant time from senior leaders and diverted their attention from mission-critical contracting duties. She delivered a detailed process map, a comprehensive cost analysis, and actionable recommendations, which catalyzed a significant new initiative for the command: the creation of AI-based study tool to streamline and optimize the warrant prep process.
The sponsor was delighted with the results:
“Our experience working with an NPS student was exceptionally positive. These students are bright, motivated, and capable of delivering high-quality, independent research that can provide critical insights into complex organizational challenges. It is a cost-effective way to get a fresh, data-driven perspective on internal processes.”
It’s no accident that DAFM students are producing impactful insights and recommendations for their sponsoring organizations. They are armed with five quarters’ worth of academic training in research methods, data analysis, and other valuable courses aligned with their degree program. And Dr. Porchia begins prepping them early to take on these research projects:
“It’s a lot of work up front,” she says. “Students conduct the research in their last quarter at NPS, but we start in the second-to-last quarter working with their gaining organization to figure out what a good problem set would be, scoping it for an assignment that they could do in a quarter, figuring out what problem or challenges sponsors want them to work on.”
Students work with sponsors to develop project plans that include milestones and regular touchpoints throughout the quarter. They engage directly with stakeholders, identify root causes, refine their analyses over time, and conclude with a final out-brief and handoff of materials. By the time they finish, they have delivered a product that sponsors can put to use immediately.
But there’s an art to giving an out-brief that superior officers will act on – and Dr. Porchia wants students to learn that art:
“If you put data and rigor behind what you're doing and you can craft a narrative that explains the reasoning behind your recommendations, that gives leaders confidence that you know what you’re doing and you’ve put thought into the solution you’re proposing.”
Dr. Porchia teaches students how to communicate their results in a way that gives senior leaders the clarity and confidence they need to act on student recommendations. That is an essential skill for junior officers who want to shape and improve the organizations they serve – and it’s a skill that will serve them throughout their careers.
As one sponsor put it: "This collaboration not only helps solve real-world problems for the sponsoring organization but also provides an invaluable educational experience for the next generation of leaders. It's a win-win partnership that fosters innovation and continuous improvement.”