Office of Labor and Economic Analysis

The Office of Labor and Economic Analysis (OLEA) is dedicated to providing labor economic analysis with the rigor necessary to define, develop, shape, sustain, and deliver an Air Force and Space Force workforce with efficiency.  

Products from OLEA provide senior leaders responsible for managing the Department of the Air Force’s human capital portfolio with critical information in the development of strategic guidance. OLEA addresses unmet needs in personnel policy identified by senior leadership, with a focus on the application of labor economics principles and econometric analysis to understand the impacts of policy and incentive structures on the behavior of Airmen and Guardians. 

OLEA is located at the U.S. Air Force Academy and is integrated into its academic mission. OLEA-affiliated faculty teach courses in their areas of expertise and advise cadet research projects in addition to conducting policy-relevant research pertinent to the broader Air Force and Space Force. OLEA faculty use rich personnel and policy data from sources across the Department of the Air Force and apply their skills in causal analysis, program evaluation, labor economic theory, and mechanism design in a collaborative environment.