This research effort develops a generalized Decision Support System (DSS) to assist contracting career field managers in making recruiting and retention decisions. The DSS focuses on the skill level inventories of the contracting enlisted force. The interest in this research was identified by contracting career field managers due to the recent negative trends in recruitment and retention and the lack of analytical tools available. To accomplish this objective, manpower models were developed using a combination of techniques gathered through interviews with Army and Air Force manpower analysts and a literature review focusing on manpower modeling.The models developed in this study are intended to assist career field managers in recruiting and retaining the right number and skill level mix of personnel in the contracting career field. The models are generalized enough to serve as a DSS for other Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC) with minimal revision.