AORS occurs once each year. It is an unclassified multi-day event that provides an excellent opportunity for Army Operations Research analysts to meet with their colleagues, present their best work, and exchange professional knowledge, experiences, and insights. The symposium provides a forum for sharing information and experience gained from ongoing and recently completed analyses. It also exposes practitioners to constructive critique and, in general, broadens the perspective of the analytical community.
In the past, representatives have attended from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom. Accordingly, all subject material must be For Public Release to general and international audiences.
History of Operations Research in the United States Army, is a three-volume set by Charles R. Shrader, each covering a different time span. Operations research (OR) emerged during World War II as an important means of assisting civilian and military leaders in making scientifically sound improvements in the design and performance of weapons and equipment. OR techniques were soon extended to address questions of tactics and strategy during the war and, after the war, to matters of high-level political and economic policy. Until now, the story of why and how the U.S. Army used OR has remained relatively obscure. This comprehensive history offers important insights into the natural tension between military leaders and civilian scientists, the establishment and growth of Army OR organizations, the use of OR techniques, and the many contributions that OR managers and analysts have made to the growth and improvement of the Army since 1942. The latter two volumes bring the story up to modern times. This account should be of interest not only to the Army's analysis community, but also to civilian leaders and military commanders and staff officers at all levels.
The Wilbur B. Payne Award recognizes the highest quality of Department of the Army Operations Research/Systems Analysis (ORSA) work. All Department of the Army analysts, technicians, scientists, or groups whose contributions were made during the period 1 March 2023 through 29 February 2024, and meet the criteria, are eligible for nomination. The winning study will be presented at the Army Operations Research Symposium.
Each year AORS inducts historically distinguished U.S. Army operations research practitioners into the Operations Research Systems Analysis (ORSA) Hall of Fame. Mr. Walter W. Hollis, the former Deputy Undersecretary of the Army for Operations Research, chartered the ORSA Hall of Fame in March 2004.
The ORSA Hall of Fame honors those individuals who have contributed significantly to US Army Operations Research and Systems Analysis over a sustained period of time, have significantly impacted US Army Operations Research and Systems Analysis through doctrinal or technical accomplishment and innovative development, and have demonstrated outstanding personal leadership and noteworthy achievements that inspired others in the area of operations research.
The charter of the ORSA Hall of Fame names the Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Analysis Center (DAC) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. The ORSA Hall of Fame is governed by a Board of Directors representing the leadership of the major analytic entities of the Army, who each year reviews the nominations and vote to induct up to two inductees per year. A 60-day nomination period begins each April wherein anyone can nominate an individual for consideration. Nominees can be any US Army Soldier or DA civilian, living or deceased.
| 2023 | Dr. Paul Ellner, Dr. Jeffrey Corley |
| 2022 | Mr. Robert Miele, Ms. Donna Vargas |
| 2021 | Dr. William Forrest Crain, Ms. Margaret Fratzel |
| 2020 | MG (Ret) John G. Ferrari |
| 2019 | BG (Ret) James L. Kays |
| 2018 | Mr. David J. Shaffer |
| 2017 | Mr. James C. Cooke |
| 2016 | Mr. Robert W. Young, Mr. Ronald G. Magee |
| 2015 | GEN (Ret) Benjamin S. Griffin |
| 2014 | GEN (Ret) David M. Maddox, Dr. James Streilein |
| 2013 | Mr. E. B. Vandiver III, Mr. Michael F. Bauman |
| 2012 | Mr. Leon F. Goode, Mr. Philip E. Louer, Mr. Roy F. Reynolds |
| 2011 | Mr. Raymond G. Pollard III, Mr. Morgan G. Smith |
| 2010 | COL Leslie Griffin (Griff) Callahan, Jr., Ph.D. |
| 2009 | Mr. Daniel O'Neill |
| 2008 | Mr. Seymour Goldberg, Mr. Pete Reid |
| 2007 | Dr. Samuel Parry |
| 2006 | Mr. Abe Golub, Mr. Walter Hollis |
| 2005 | Dr. Marion Bryson, Mr. Keith Myers |
| 2004 | Dr. Wilbur B. Payne, Dr. Joseph Sperrazza, GEN Max Thurman, Mr. Hunter Woodall |