Military Personnel: First-Term Personnel Less Satisfied With
Military Life Than Those in Mid-Career (07-DEC-01, GAO-02-200).
GAO analyzed data from the Department of Defense's (DOD) 1999
Survey of active duty personnel because identifying and retaining
the proper mix of highly skilled personnel are top priorities for
DOD. Satisfaction with military life and retention intent, which
increase as personnel gain seniority, is related to the reasons
that first-term and mid-career personnel joined the military.
Among the top reasons that first-term enlisted personnel cited
for joining were education benefits and training for civilian
employment. For mid-career personnel, the desire to serve their
country emerged as one of the top reasons for joining, and these
personnel reported that they were more likely to serve 20 years
than others. Mid-career enlisted and officer personnel that
joined for education benefits or training for a specific
occupation--reasons that allow personnel to transfer a skill to
the civilian sector--reported that they were more likely to leave
the military. Dissatisfaction with the military way of life is
also related to reasons that personnel cited for leaving the
military. The primary reasons servicemembers cited for leaving or
considering leaving the military were their base pay, the amount
of personal/family time, and the quality of leadership. Military
personnel perceived that many aspects of civilian life would be
better than their experiences in the military. Servicemembers did
view some aspects of their military life more favorably relative
to civilian life, including vacation time, sense of
accomplishment and pride, and education and training
opportunities.
-------------------------Indexing Terms-------------------------
REPORTNUM: GAO-02-200
ACCNO: A02398
TITLE: Military Personnel: First-Term Personnel Less Satisfied
With Military Life Than Those in Mid-Career
DATE: 12/07/2001
SUBJECT: Job satisfaction surveys
Military personnel
Personnel management
Quality of life
DOD 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel
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GAO-02-200
Report to Congressional Requesters
United States General Accounting Office
GAO
December 2001 MILITARY PERSONNEL
First- Term Personnel Less Satisfied With Military Life Than Those in Mid-
Career
GAO- 02- 200
Page i GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel Letter 1
Results in Brief 2 Background 3 Agency Comments 4 Scope and Methodology 4
Briefing Section I Overall Satisfaction With Military Life and Retention
Intentions 8
Briefing Section II Relationship of Servicemembers? Initial Reasons for
Joining the Military to Retention Intent 14
Briefing Section III Reasons Cited for Leaving the Military 20
Briefing Section IV Servicemembers? Perceptions of Civilian Life Relative to
Military Life 24
Appendix I Recent Reports Concerning DOD?s 1999 Survey of Active Duty
Personnel 28
Appendix II Comments From the Department of Defense 29
Appendix III Contact and Staff Acknowledgments 30
Tables
Table 1: Most Frequently Cited Reasons for Joining the Military 14 Table 2:
Most Frequently Cited Reasons for Leaving or Considering
Leaving the Military 20 Contents
Page ii GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Table 3: Recent Reports Concerning DOD?s 1999 Survey of Active Duty
Personnel 28
Page 1 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
December 7, 2001 The Honorable John M. McHugh Chairman The Honorable Vic
Snyder Ranking Minority Member Subcommittee on Military Personnel Committee
on Armed Services House of Representatives
Identifying and retaining the right mix of highly skilled personnel are top
priorities for the Department of Defense (DOD). While the military services
report that they are generally meeting their goals for the retention of
aggregate numbers of personnel, measuring retention based on aggregate
numbers potentially masks variations in retention by specific career stages
and pay grades and only partially measures DOD?s ability to retain adequate
numbers of qualified personnel. DOD remains concerned about retention of
personnel who are nearing the end of their first term and personnel in key
mid- career stages.
Congress has sought reliable information about the quality of life of
servicemembers, and it is generally believed that satisfaction with military
life is a factor in retaining the people needed. In response to your request
for this information, we analyzed data from DOD?s broad- based 1999 Survey
of Active Duty Personnel. Specifically, we examined survey data on first-
term enlisted personnel- those in their initial term of enlistment with less
than 6 years of service- as well as both enlisted personnel and officers in
mid- career- which included those with less than 13 years of service that
were not serving an initial enlistment or obligation. For these three
groups, we analyzed survey responses to determine (1) overall satisfaction
with military life and retention intentions, (2) initial reasons for joining
the military and their relationship to servicemembers? intent to remain in
the military, (3) reasons servicemembers cited for considering leaving
active duty, and (4) perceptions of civilian life relative to military life.
It is important to note that the economy has slowed and that the military
has received significant pay raises since the survey was administered in
1999. And, the terrorist attacks on September 11th may have an impact on a
servicemember?s decision to stay in or leave the military. In response to
the terrorist attacks and the subsequent military action, DOD authorized the
services to enact stop- loss procedures, allowing the services to retain
individuals on active duty beyond their date of separation, delaying planned
retirements and discharges.
United States General Accounting Office Washington, DC 20548
Page 2 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Briefing sections I- IV contain specific data and our observations on the
servicemembers? responses to the survey.
Satisfaction with military life and retention intent increase as personnel
gain seniority. First- term enlisted personnel were more dissatisfied (41
percent) than satisfied (35 percent) with the overall military way of life.
In addition, only 29 percent of first- term enlisted personnel reported that
they were likely to stay on active duty, and relatively few (14 percent)
reported that they envisioned serving a 20- year career. However, mid-
career personnel were more satisfied than dissatisfied with the military way
of life. More specifically, 52 percent of mid- career enlisted personnel and
62 percent of mid- career officers were satisfied, while only 23 percent and
20 percent, respectively, were dissatisfied. In addition, both mid- career
enlisted personnel and officers reported that they were more likely than
unlikely to stay on active duty (62 percent and 63 percent, respectively).
And, mid- career enlisted personnel and officers reported that they were
more likely than unlikely to serve 20 years (63 percent and 66 percent,
respectively).
Retention intent is related to the reasons that first- term and mid- career
personnel joined the military. Among the top reasons that first- term
enlisted personnel cited for joining were education benefits (43 percent)
and training for civilian employment (18 percent). Those who cited these
reasons indicated that they were less likely to stay on active duty than
those who entered for other reasons, such as personal growth or travel and
experiences. This is understandable because personnel often leave active
duty to use their education benefits, such as the Montgomery GI Bill, or to
take full- time civilian employment. For mid- career personnel, the desire
to serve their country emerged as one of the top reasons for joining, and
these personnel reported that they were more likely to serve 20 years than
those who entered the military for other reasons. Mid- career enlisted
personnel that joined for education benefits and mid- career officers that
joined for training for a specific occupation- reasons that allow personnel
to potentially transfer a skill gained in the military to the civilian
sector- reported that they were more likely to leave the military.
Dissatisfaction with the military way of life is also related to reasons
that personnel cited for leaving the military. On DOD?s 1999 survey, active
duty service personnel rated their satisfaction with 37 aspects of the
military and identified which of the aspects were the most important reasons
for leaving or considering leaving the military. The primary reasons
servicemembers cited for leaving or considering leaving the military were
Results in Brief
Page 3 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
their basic pay, the amount of personal/ family time, and the quality of
leadership. While personnel that were dissatisfied with these three factors
were generally less inclined to stay in the military than those that were
satisfied, no single factor, alone, was a good predictor of retention
intent. The best overall predictor of retention for first- term enlisted and
midcareer personnel was overall satisfaction with the military way of life.
In 1999, military personnel perceived that many aspects of civilian life
would be better than their experiences in the military. About 70 percent (or
more for some aspects) of servicemembers believed that civilians were
compensated better and had a better quality of life. Servicemembers did view
some aspects of their military life more favorably relative to civilian
life, including vacation time, sense of accomplishment and pride, and
education and training opportunities. However, servicemembers? perceptions
may have changed since the survey was administered in 1999 due to a slowing
economy and significant recent pay raises.
We have recently reported on several personnel issues based on the results
of DOD?s 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel. In March 2000, we testified
on the preliminary results of the survey. 1 At that time, we reported that
the retention decision was a complex, highly personal decision.
Servicemembers base their decision to stay in or leave the military on their
overall experiences, as well as their perceptions of military and civilian
opportunities. DOD personnel have recently received pay and other allowance
increases, which were requested by the Department to help retain its service
personnel. However, across- the- board pay and allowance increases do little
to address specific retention problems because these problems are often
focused in certain occupations, career stages, and grades. In May 2001, we
reported that increasing the housing allowance alone would do little to
increase retention because, among other reasons, less than 1 percent of
servicemembers cited housing allowances as a top reason to leave the
military. 2 In June 2001, we reported that, based on their military
experiences, enlisted personnel in retention- critical occupations did not
intend to leave the military at a greater rate than did other enlisted
personnel. However, to the extent that personnel possess marketable
1 Military Personnel: Preliminary Results of DOD?s 1999 Survey of Active
Duty Members
(GAO/ T- NSIAD- 00- 110, Mar. 8, 2000). 2 Military Personnel: Higher
Allowances Should Increase Use of Civilian Housing, but Not Retention (GAO-
01- 684, May 31, 2001). Background
Page 4 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
skills, they would be more likely to leave the military for more attractive
civilian opportunities. 3 Appendix I provides a summary of our recent
reports based on the findings from DOD?s 1999 Survey of Active Duty
Personnel.
Any discussion of military retention must be put into the context of the way
that the military seeks to shape its workforce. Basically, because the
military needs a youthful, vigorous force, it has traditionally allowed only
a small portion of enlistees to stay for a 20- year career. Historical data
provided by DOD indicate that about 15 percent of a typical group of new
enlistees and 47 percent of new officers continue in the military for a full
20- year career. DOD managers have access to a variety of workforce shaping
and development tools for retaining the most qualified personnel. For
example, the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act of 1980 provides part
of the legislative framework for how DOD affects the shape of the force.
This, in effect, creates an ?up- or- out? system. Officers progress in a
group determined by the year of their commissioning and largely compete for
promotion to the next higher grade with other members of the group at set
points based on years of service. Also, after a certain number of years and
depending on their grades, officers twice passed over for promotion are to
be separated from active service or retired, if eligible. In addition, the
act specifies the number of officers allowed in upper grades.
We provided a draft of this report to the Office of the Secretary of Defense
for comment. The Department concurred with our report. The Department noted
that servicemembers? retention intent can change over time and that
retention intent and actual retention behavior are imperfectly correlated.
The Department?s comments appear in appendix II.
The data used in this briefing report were derived from DOD?s 1999 Survey of
Active Duty Personnel, which we worked with the Department to design. It was
mailed in the fall of 1999 to a stratified random sample of over 66,000
uniformed personnel. DOD provided the final survey data to us in late 2000.
3 Military Personnel: Perceptions of Retention- Critical Personnel Are
Similar to Those of Other Enlisted Personnel (GAO- 01- 785, June 28, 2001).
Agency Comments
Scope and Methodology
Page 5 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
To determine the satisfaction and retention intentions of first- term
enlisted personnel, mid- career enlisted personnel, and mid- career
officers, we had to define our target populations. We defined first- term
enlisted personnel as servicemembers in their first term of enlistment that
had served between 0 and 6 years of service and that were in the E- 1
through E- 5 pay grades. Mid- career enlisted personnel included
servicemembers in the E- 5 through E- 7 pay grades with less than 13 years
of service that were not serving an initial enlistment. Mid- career officers
included servicemembers in the O- 3 and O- 4 pay grades with less than 13
years of service that were not serving an initial obligation. For mid-
career officers, we eliminated personnel that had received their rank due to
a special appointment based on their occupation (e. g., legal officer,
chaplains, physicians, dentists, nurses, and veterinarians).
DOD periodically surveys active duty servicemembers about their opinions of
the military way of life; prior to 1999, the survey was last administered in
1992. When the Department learned that the Subcommittee on Military
Personnel had asked us to administer a separate survey to military
personnel, the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense (Force Management
Policy) offered us the opportunity to include questions on the survey DOD
was planning to administer. We worked with DOD staff to refine the survey
and address additional aspects. The survey was pretested and refined at Navy
bases around Jacksonville, Florida; Pope Air Force Base, Fayetteville, North
Carolina; and the U. S. Marine base at Quantico, Virginia. Time constraints
prevented additional pretesting with Army and Coast Guard personnel beyond
that performed by DOD on an earlier version of the survey.
The sample of 66,040 military members was drawn from a May 1999 population
of 1,419,269 active duty DOD and U. S. Coast Guard personnel that were below
the rank of admiral or general and had at least 6 months of service. The
sample was stratified on five variables: service; pay grade; gender;
location (i. e., inside or outside the continental United States); and
marital status. DOD survey experts used response rates from prior surveys to
adjust the sample for groups with differing expected rates of survey
completion. Also, the sample was designed to provide varying levels of
precision for numerous subgroups (e. g., + 3 percentage points for each
service or pay grade group and + 5 percentage points for senior officers in
the Army). All findings presented in this report have a margin of error of +
6 percentage points, or less. Definition of Target
Population Development of DOD?s Survey of Active Duty Personnel
Construction of Sample Respondents to Survey
Page 6 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
As of January 2000, DOD had received 37,119 surveys with at least some
questions answered. Some surveys were eliminated because they (1) had been
returned blank, (2) were duplicates from the same individual, or (3) came
from respondents that had left active duty before the fielding period ended.
The unweighted response rate was 56. 2 percent. After eliminating people
that were ineligible to participate in the survey, DOD computed a weighted
response rate of 51 percent. DOD used a contractor to administer the survey.
We did not test the contractor?s procedures or validate the data provided to
us. We did review the quality control procedures of DOD and its contractor
for a similar large survey.
We weighted data to proportionally represent the target population. The
weights reflected (1) the probability of selection for that member, (2) an
adjustment for nonrespondents to minimize bias arising among demographic
subgroups, and (3) a post- stratification factor for September 1999- the
month in which the questionnaire was first distributed.
In recent years, response rates on both military and civilian surveys have
decreased. Although weighting can adjust for differing response rates within
the sampling cells, it cannot adjust for possible differences between those
that did and did not respond to a survey. As with most surveys, there is an
implicit assumption that nonrespondents would have answered like
respondents. There is some risk of nonresponse bias, but it is not feasible
to test for this bias. It should be recognized that the active duty survey
is the only source of DOD- wide information for many issues, and it is far
more reliable than anecdotal information or information generated by
smaller, nonrepresentative samples.
We performed our work between July and November 2001 in accordance with
generally accepted government auditing standards.
We are sending copies of this report to the appropriate congressional
committees; the Secretary of Defense; and the Under Secretary of Defense,
Personnel and Readiness. Copies will also be provided to other interested
parties upon request. Survey Administration
Weighting Responses
Page 7 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
If you or your staff have any questions about this report, please contact me
at (202) 512- 5559. An additional GAO contact and staff acknowledgments are
listed in appendix III.
Derek B. Stewart Director Defense Capabilities and Management
Briefing Section I: Overall Satisfaction With Military Life and Retention
Intentions
Page 8 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Note: Percentages may not add due to rounding. Source: Responses to the 1999
Survey of Active Duty Personnel.
Briefing Section I: Overall Satisfaction With Military Life and Retention
Intentions
Briefing Section I: Overall Satisfaction With Military Life and Retention
Intentions
Page 9 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
On the 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel, more first- term enlisted
personnel reported that they were dissatisfied (41 percent) than satisfied
(35 percent) with the military way of life. More mid- career enlisted
personnel and officers reported that they were satisfied than dissatisfied.
Fifty- two percent of mid- career enlisted personnel and 62 percent of mid-
career officers reported that they were satisfied, while 23 percent and 20
percent, respectively, indicated that they were dissatisfied.
Briefing Section I: Overall Satisfaction With Military Life and Retention
Intentions
Page 10 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Source: Responses to the 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel.
Briefing Section I: Overall Satisfaction With Military Life and Retention
Intentions
Page 11 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
One survey question asked servicemembers their likelihood of staying on
active duty in the military if they had to decide at the time that they were
completing the survey. Sixty- two percent of mid- career enlisted personnel
and 63 percent of officers reported that they were likely to stay on active
duty; in contrast, 29 percent of first- term enlisted personnel reported
that they were likely to stay on active duty at the end of their current
term.
Briefing Section I: Overall Satisfaction With Military Life and Retention
Intentions
Page 12 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Source: Responses to the 1999 Survey of Active Duty.
Briefing Section I: Overall Satisfaction With Military Life and Retention
Intentions
Page 13 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Another survey question asked military members to write in how many years
they plan to serve. Almost two- thirds of mid- career personnel reported
that they planned to serve 20 years or more, and about 14 percent of first-
term enlisted personnel reported that they planned to serve 20 years. Both
measures of retention, including likelihood of staying on active duty and of
serving 20 years, must be put into context with the way the Department of
Defense (DOD) shapes its force. In effect, DOD aims to keep successively
smaller portions of personnel each year. According to DOD actuarial records,
about 15 percent of a typical group of new enlisted personnel and 47 percent
of officers serve 20 years on active duty.
Briefing Section II: Relationship of Servicemembers? Initial Reasons for
Joining the Military to Retention Intent
Page 14 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Table 1: Most Frequently Cited Reasons for Joining the Military First- term
enlisted Mid- career enlisted Mid- career officers
1. Education benefits (43%) 1. Education benefits (23%) 1. Serve country
(39%) 2. Training for civilian employment (18%) 2. Serve country (19%) 2.
Education benefits (25%) 3. Travel and experiences (18%) 3. Travel and
experiences
(19%) 3. Challenging work (23%) 4. Personal growth (15%) 4. Job security
(15%) 4. Attracted to the military
(16%) 5. Figure what to do (14%) 5. Get away (14%) 5. Specific occupation
(16%) Note: The percentages add to more than 100 because we combined
percentages for servicemembers? responses to their most important and second
most important reasons for joining the military.
Source: Responses to the 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel.
On the survey, respondents were asked to identify, from a list of 21
reasons, their 2 most important reasons for joining the military. We
combined the responses to determine the five reasons most frequently cited
for joining the military. First- term and mid- career enlisted personnel
most frequently indicated that they had joined the military for education
benefits. The military?s primary program of financial aid for education is
the Montgomery GI Bill. Unless they choose to withdraw from this program,
all eligible active duty military personnel are automatically enrolled in
the Montgomery GI Bill. Slightly more than half of the servicemembers that
contribute money to the program actually take advantage of the benefits
after they leave the military, according to the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
Mid- career officers recalled entering active duty for different reasons.
Overall, 39 percent reported that they had joined the military because of a
desire to serve their country. Two other reasons most frequently cited by
mid- career officers were education benefits (25 percent) and challenging or
interesting work (23 percent). Briefing Section II: Relationship of
Servicemembers? Initial Reasons for Joining the Military to Retention Intent
Briefing Section II: Relationship of Servicemembers? Initial Reasons for
Joining the Military to Retention Intent
Page 15 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Source: Responses to the 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel.
First- term enlisted personnel?s reasons for joining the military appear to
be related to the likelihood that they would stay in or leave active duty.
Those that entered for education benefits tended to be less likely to stay
on active duty than those that entered for other reasons. Specifically, 60
percent of first- term enlisted personnel that entered active duty for
education benefits were unlikely to stay.
Briefing Section II: Relationship of Servicemembers? Initial Reasons for
Joining the Military to Retention Intent
Page 16 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Source: Responses to the 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel.
Briefing Section II: Relationship of Servicemembers? Initial Reasons for
Joining the Military to Retention Intent
Page 17 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Mid- career personnel?s reasons for joining the military appear to be
related to the likelihood that they would stay for 20 years. Those that
entered for education benefits were less likely to indicate that they intend
to serve 20 years than those that joined for other reasons. A little over
half (51 percent) of mid- career enlisted personnel that joined the military
for education benefits said they were likely to serve 20 years. And, a lower
percentage of mid- career enlisted personnel that reported entering active
duty for education benefits indicated they were likely to serve 20 years
than the overall percentage of mid- career enlisted personnel that reported
that they would be likely to serve 20 years on active duty (63 percent).
Briefing Section II: Relationship of Servicemembers? Initial Reasons for
Joining the Military to Retention Intent
Page 18 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Source: Responses to the 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel.
Briefing Section II: Relationship of Servicemembers? Initial Reasons for
Joining the Military to Retention Intent
Page 19 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
For mid- career enlisted personnel, reasons for joining the military appear
to be related to the likelihood that mid- career officers would stay for 20
years. For example, those that reported joining for the opportunity to work
in a specific occupation were less likely to intend to serve 20 years than
those that joined for other top reasons. Only 46 percent of mid- career
officers that reported joining for the opportunity to work in a specific
occupation said they were likely to serve 20 years. In addition, a lower
percentage of mid- career officers that reported joining for this reason
indicated they were likely to serve 20 years than the overall percentage of
mid- career officers that reported that they would be likely to serve 20
years on active duty (66 percent).
Briefing Section III: Reasons Cited for Leaving the Military
Page 20 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Table 2: Most Frequently Cited Reasons for Leaving or Considering Leaving
the Military
First- term enlisted Mid- career enlisted Mid- career officers
1. Basic pay (45%) 1. Basic pay (41%) 1. Amount of personal and family time
(24%) 2. Amount of personal and family time (17%) 2. Retirement pay (19%) 2.
Basic pay (23%) 3. Quality of leadership (17%) 3. Amount of personal and
family time (15%) 3. Job enjoyment (17%) 4. Job enjoyment (15%) 4. Quality
of leadership
(13%) 4. Quality of leadership (17%) 5. Deployments (10%) 5. Pace of
promotions
(13%) 5. Retirement pay (15%) Note: The percentages add to more than 100
because we combined percentages for servicemembers? responses to their most
important and second most important reasons for leaving the military.
Source: Responses to the 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel.
The 1999 survey asked active duty respondents to rate 37 aspects of military
life on a scale from very satisfied to very dissatisfied. Respondents were
also asked to identify which of the 37 aspects were their most and second
most important reasons for leaving or considering leaving the military. We
combined these reasons to determine servicemembers? top five most frequently
cited reasons for leaving or considering leaving active duty.
First- term and mid- career enlisted personnel most often cited basic pay as
the most important reason for leaving or considering leaving the military.
About the same percentages of first- term (45 percent) and mid- career
enlisted personnel (41 percent) responded that basic pay was the top reason
to leave the military. For mid- career officers, amount of personal and
family time (24 percent) was cited as the most important reason for leaving
or considering leaving the military. However, basic pay was also among the
top reasons for leaving or considering leaving the military, cited by 23
percent of the officers.
In addition to determining the top five reasons for leaving or considering
leaving the military, we determined how individual aspects of military life
related to retention intent. We found that no single aspect, alone, was a
good predictor of retention. Thus, it should not be concluded that pay,
alone, is causing members to leave. Overall, basic pay was cited as a top
Briefing Section III: Reasons Cited for
Leaving the Military
Briefing Section III: Reasons Cited for Leaving the Military
Page 21 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
reason to leave, but it was also cited by servicemembers as a top reason to
stay. 1
The best predictor of retention for first- term enlisted and mid- career
personnel was overall satisfaction with the military way of life. DOD noted
a similar finding in its analysis of the previous active duty survey,
administered in 1992. At that time, DOD reported that overall satisfaction
with the military way of life had the strongest association with career
intentions of any of the explanatory variables tested from the survey. 2
1 Military Personnel: Preliminary Results of DOD?s 1999 Survey of Active
Duty Members
(GAO/ T- NSIAD- 00- 110, Mar. 8, 2000). 2 The Military as a Career: Results
from the 1992 DOD Surveys of Officers and Enlisted Personnel and Military
Spouses (Defense Manpower Data Center Report No. 97- 006).
Briefing Section III: Reasons Cited for Leaving the Military
Page 22 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Source: Responses to the 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel.
Briefing Section III: Reasons Cited for Leaving the Military
Page 23 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
We determined that members of the three groups that were satisfied with the
overall military way of life were more likely to serve 20 years on active
duty service than those that were dissatisfied. First- term enlisted
personnel that reported that they were satisfied with the overall military
way of life were more likely to serve 20 years (29 percent) than those that
were dissatisfied (3 percent). According to the survey, mid- career
personnel, both enlisted and officers, were significantly more likely to
intend to serve 20 years on active duty than were first- term enlisted
personnel, and their intention to stay was linked to overall satisfaction
with military life. Almost 80 percent of mid- career enlisted personnel that
were satisfied with the overall military way of life reported that they were
likely to serve 20 years, compared to 33 percent of those that were
dissatisfied. Mid- career officers that were satisfied with the overall
military way of life reported that they were much more likely to serve 20
years (81 percent) than those that were dissatisfied (27 percent).
Briefing Section IV: Servicemembers? Perceptions of Civilian Life Relative
to Military Life
Page 24 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Source: Responses to the 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel.
Briefing Section IV: Servicemembers? Perceptions of Civilian Life Relative
to Military Life
Perceptions that Civilian Life Is Better Than Military Life
Briefing Section IV: Servicemembers? Perceptions of Civilian Life Relative
to Military Life
Page 25 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
In 1999, when the survey was administered, first- term and mid- career
enlisted personnel and mid- career officers generally perceived
opportunities in civilian life more favorably than those in military life.
When asked to rate compensation and quality of life issues on the survey,
personnel in each group overwhelmingly perceived civilian opportunities as
being better on 4 of 10 factors. Around 70 percent or more of each of the
three groups believed that civilian (1) total compensation, (2) personal/
family time, (3) quality of life, and (4) hours worked per week were better
than those offered by the military. However, servicemembers? perceptions may
have changed since the survey was administered in 1999 due to a slowing
economy and significant recent pay raises.
Briefing Section IV: Servicemembers? Perceptions of Civilian Life Relative
to Military Life
Page 26 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Source: Responses to the 1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel. Perceptions
That Military Life Is Better
Than Civilian Life
Briefing Section IV: Servicemembers? Perceptions of Civilian Life Relative
to Military Life
Page 27 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
Even during the strong economy of the late 1990s, first- term and midcareer
enlisted personnel and mid- career officers perceived three types of
opportunities as more favorable in the military than in civilian life. These
aspects were vacation time, a sense of accomplishment and pride, and
education and training opportunities.
Appendix I: Recent Reports Concerning DOD?s 1999 Survey of Active Duty
Personnel
Page 28 GAO- 02- 200 Military Personnel
We have recently issued several reports on the findings from the 1999 Survey
of Active Duty Personnel in relation to retention. DOD and Congress have
expressed concern with the ability to attract and retain high- quality
personnel and have sought information on this issue. Table 3 provides a
summary of our reports that address military retention issues based on
results from the survey.
Table 3: Recent Reports Concerning DOD?s 1999 Survey of Active Duty
Personnel Title Findings
Military Personnel: Longer Time Between Moves Related to Higher Satisfaction
and Retention (GAO- 01- 841, Aug. 3, 2001)
In August 2001, we reported that the time between permanent change of
station moves (i. e., moves of their families and household goods) was
related to satisfaction and retention intent. Personnel with shorter times
between moves were less likely to be satisfied with the military way of
life. Also, the shorter the average time between moves, the more likely the
member?s spouse or significant other was to favor the member leaving the
military.
Military Personnel: Perceptions of RetentionCritical Personnel are Similar
to Those of Other Enlisted Personnel (GAO- 01- 785, June 28, 2001)
In June 2001, we reported that personnel in retention- critical occupations
were not being ?pushed out? of the military at a greater rate than were
other enlisted personnel. Rather, to the extent that they possess marketable
skills, these personnel are more likely to leave the military for more
attractive civilian opportunities.
Military Personnel: Higher Allowances Should Increase Use of Civilian
Housing, but Not Retention (GAO- 01- 684, May 31, 2001)
In May 2001, we reported that DOD could not expect a substantial increase in
retention based solely on increasing housing allowances. Because less than 1
percent of personnel surveyed cited housing and housing allowances as a
reason for leaving or considering leaving the military, increasing housing
allowances would not have a significant impact on retention.
Military Personnel: Full Extent of Support to Civil Authorities Unknown but
Unlikely to Adversely Impact Retention (GAO- 01- 9,
Jan. 26, 2001) In January 2001, we reported that providing assistance to
civil authorities did not
appear to affect retention negatively and that overall, retention had
remained relatively stable over the last decade. A discussion with select
military units with high deployment rates and frequent participation in
support to civil entities indicated that assignments that involved support
to civil authorities had very little impact on retention.
Military Personnel: Preliminary Results of DOD?s 1999 Survey of Active Duty
Members
(GAO/ T- NSIAD- 00- 110, Mar. 8, 2000) In March 2000, we reported that
various aspects of military life interact to determine
servicemembers? decisions to stay in or leave the military. The retention
decision is complex and highly personal, and servicemembers use a summation
of their own individual experiences, their perceptions of military and
civilian opportunities, and their overall personal and family well- being
when deciding whether to stay in or leave the military.
Appendix I: Recent Reports Concerning DOD?s 1999 Survey of Active Duty
Personnel
Appendix II: Comments From the Department of Defense Page 29 GAO- 02- 200
Military Personnel
Appendix II: Comments From the Department of Defense
Appendix III: Contact and Staff Acknowledgments Page 30 GAO- 02- 200
Military Personnel
John Pendleton (404) 679- 1816 In addition to the contact named above,
William Beusse, Jack Edwards, Aisha Mahmood, Matthew Ullengren, and Kristy
Williams made important contributions to this report. Appendix III: Contact
and Staff
Acknowledgments GAO Contact Acknowledgments
(350102)
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