The Retention of High-Quality Personnel in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Abstract
This study addresses the question, Does the military retain the best of its first-term recruits? Using data from the 1974 Entry Cohort File developed by the Defense Manpower Data Center, the authors generate an index of job performance that combines entry-level attributes of recruits--Armed Forces Qualification Test scores and level of education--with first-term promotion histories. This quality index is used to assess the relative importance of these characteristics and other unobserved ability factors for evaluating the military's success in retaining high-quality enlisted personnel. The authors find that the military is, in general, successful in retaining high-quality enlisted personnel. Those lost through attrition have the lowest quality. Those who separate at the end of their commitment have about the same quality as those entering the military.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA153277
Entities
People
- H. W. Tan
- M. P. Ward
Organizations
- RAND Corporation