Dual Army Career Officers: Job Attitudes and Career Intentions of Male and Female Officers
Abstract
In 1985, dual Army career officers (N = 149) from nine installations in the continental United States were surveyed. Consistent with data from prior research, female officers in dual Army career marriages are much less likely than male officers to have plans early in their careers to stay in the Army until retirement. Concerns about family separations, pregnancy, and childcare appear to be important factors in the career decisions of these couples. Almost half of the dual Army career women said they would leave the Army rather than face a lengthy (1 year or more) separation from their husbands. Furthermore, although only a minority of the sample expressed strong concerns about childcare and pregnancy, the interviews suggested that time constraints and finding high- quality, flexible childcare arrangements were especially problematic given the long hours and erratic work schedules of Army officers. Both male and female officers reported that their spouses and supervisors were very supportive of their careers, and both sexes felt that their promotion potential was good. Both male and female officers were also very satisfied with their jobs and the Army in general, although they felt that family concerns should be given a higher priority in the assignment system. Deployment in the event of war or a national emergency was not seen as a problem, and respondents reported that their families were very committed to the Army mission. In terms of everyday responsibilities, on the other hand, family needs were as likely as Army needs to be given the first priority in the case of a conflict between work and family.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA199071
Entities
People
- Glenda Y. Nogami
- Martha L. Teplitzky
- Shelley A. Thomas
Organizations
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences