Data and Decision Sciences Program (D2SP)
The Data and Decision Sciences Program is a statistics and data science research core that facilitates original and innovative research using military medical, performance, and administrative data and manages data warehouses and lakes.
Research and Focus Areas- Evaluating the effectiveness of policies, programs, and interventions on the health and performance of Warfighters
- Determining the return on investment programs and policies that impact Warfighter health and performance as well as and conducting cost-of-illness and cost-benefit analyses
- Prediction and forecasting using time series and machine learning models
- Epidemiological surveillance
- Detailed data reporting for partner organizations and senior leaders
Soldier Performance, Health, and Readiness Database (SPHERE)
The SPHERE is a vast data repository that contains US military population-level data that are aggregated from multiple disparate Department of Defense agencies managed by the Data and Decision Sciences Program.
The SPHERE collects and maintains current and historical performance, health, and personnel data from all service branches, including Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserves. The SPHERE is an excellent resource for conducting epidemiological and health economic research to study the impact of policy and interventions on the health and performance of Warfighters. The SPHERE is also used to provide detailed longitudinal and cross-sectional reporting on health and performance outcomes.
The SPHERE is a unique database in which individual records can be linked across all data sources, providing a comprehensive longitudinal look over the entire career of Warfighters. The SPHERE can also be used to provide real-time snapshots of health and performance measures.
The SPHERE contains data from the following sources:
- Military Health System Data Repository (MDR)
- Medical Operational Data Systems (MODS) and E-Profile
- Army Training Requirements and Resource System (ATRRS)
- Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC)
- Integrated Personnel and Pay System – Army (IPPS-A)
- Digital Training Management System (DTMS)
- Defense Casualty Information Processing System (DCIPS)
- DoD Suicide Event Report (DoDSER)
- Deployed Theater Accountability System (DTAS)
- Behavioral Health Data Portal (BHDP)
- Joint Trauma System (JTS)
- Health Level 7 (HL7)
- Pharmacy Data Transaction Service (PDTS)
- Reception Module (RECMOD)
- Reception Battalion Automated Support System (RECBASS)
- Disease Reporting System Internet (DRSi)
- Transition Processing (TRANSPROC)
- Health Authority Management Information System (HAMIS)
- United States Army Physical Disability Agency (USAPDA)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Composite Health Care System (CHCS)
From these data sources, the SPHERE contains the following broad data elements on individuals:
- Demographic data (age, rank, MOS, marital status, education, etc.)
- Physical and mental health records
- Laboratory and radiology results and vitals
- Pharmaceutical prescriptions
- Network inpatient and outpatient encounters
- Medical diagnoses and surgical procedures
- Profile data (reason, duration, etc.)
- DoD suicide events reports
- Deployment and unit history
- Discharge data (DD214)
- Combat and non-combat injury and disease data
- Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT)
- Body composition
- Weapons qualifications
- Occupational Physical Assessment Test (OPAT)
- Army training data (courses taken, class rosters, completion records, etc.)
- Entrance testing (ASVAB), medical waivers, and accessions data
- TRICARE insurance data
- Localized weather data
- Medical Board Evaluation Data
- Physical Board Evaluation Data
- Suspension of Favorable Personnel Actions (SFPA) aka "flag data"
SPHERE Research
SPHERE collects performance, health, and personnel data from over 7 million Soldiers,
including Active Duty, National Guard and Army Reserves.
Readiness Data Available
Click the logos to learn more!
Army Researchers (military and federal civilian) are welcome to contact the SPHERE with
collaborative research requests targeting Army Readiness and Return to Combat Effectiveness.
Questions and requests can be sent to the D2SP
Point of Contact: usarmy.natick.medcom-usariem.mbx.usariem-d2sp@health.mil
SPHERE Publications (PDF 40KB)
- Military Nutrition (MND)
- Military Performance (MPD)
- Thermal & Mountain Medicine (TMMD)
- Soldier Performance, Health, and Readiness Database (SPHERE Database)