United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office National Security and International Affairs Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1997-03-13 monographic deposited born digital 14 p. GA 1.13:T-NSIAD-97-120 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-97-120 P0b002ee180374c21 f:ns97120t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-97-120 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-97-120 T-NSIAD-97-120 Military recruiting Attrition rates Enlisted personnel Military training Military discharges Military cost control Medical examinations Personnel management Drug abuse Other Written Product NSIAD GAO discussed its report on military enlisted attrition, focusing on: (1) the extent of the attrition problem; (2) the reasons why enlistees are separated; (3) the adequacy of the data the Department of Defense (DOD) has available for setting realistic attrition reduction goals; (4) the savings the services could accrue by achieving their goals for reducing 6-month attrition; and (5) changes in policy since GAO issued its report in January 1997.<p/>GAO noted that: (1) more than 14 percent of new recruits leave the services during the first 6 months, and more than 30 percent leave before the end of their first term; (2) because of this attrition, the services lose a substantial investment in training, time, equipment, and related expenses and must increase accessions to replace these losses; (3) the main reasons for the high attrition rate during the first 6 months are that: (a) the services' screening of applicants for disqualifying medical conditions or preservice drug use is inadequate; and (b) recruits fail to perform adequately because they are in poor physical condition for basic training or lack motivation; (4) although the services are greatly concerned about attrition, their goals for reducing attrition are based on inconsistent, incomplete data and are unrealistic; and (5) if the services were to actually reach their goals, however, they would realize immediate short-term annual savings ranging from $5 million to $39 million. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-97-120/html/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-97-120.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-97-120/pdf/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-97-120.pdf GAO/T-NSIAD-97-120 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-NSIAD-97-120 Other Written Product GAO/T-NSIAD-97-120; Military Attrition: Better Screening of Enlisted Personnel Could Save Millions of Dollars; Military recruiting Attrition rates Enlisted personnel Military training Military discharges Military cost control Medical examinations Personnel management Drug abuse