Epidemiological and Statistical Analytics for Military Health

This technical report outlines the Medical Standards and Research (MSAR) program at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), which provides epidemiological and advanced statistical analytics to support Department of Defense (DoD) medical policy decisions. The report details the program's three coordinated workstreams: Accession Medical Standards Analysis and Research Activity (AMSARA), Retention Medical Standards Analytics and Research (RMSAR), and Disability Evaluation System Analysis and Research (DESAR). Each workstream focuses on evaluating medical conditions' impacts on accession, retention, and disability outcomes across the military services. The report also describes the program's contributions to major updates in DoD policies, including the analysis of millions of service applicants and members. It emphasizes the importance of continuous, data-driven evaluation of medical standards, particularly concerning musculoskeletal, psychiatric, and neurological disorders, and highlights the need for rigorous measurement of real-world outcomes over time.