Military Attrition: Better Data, Coupled with Policy Changes, Could Help the Services Reduce Early Separations
Abstract
The military services recruit hundreds of thousands of new enlistees each year. Over the course of their careers, enlistees sign contracts that define their length of service for the duration of each contract. For the first term of service, these contracts generally cover between 2 and 6 years, with the typical contract being for 4 years. While most enlistees complete the terms of their first contract, many fail to do so. These persons are counted as "attrition" and are separated from military service. The reasons for separation vary and are documented in official discharge papers through the use of separation program designator codes. The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDc) is responsible for maintaining data on the attrition rates of servicemembers. While GAO developed historical attrition data, it focused its detailed analysis of attrition rates and the reasons for attrition on enlistees who entered the services in fiscal year 1993 in order to track all enlistees up to 48 months later, or fiscal year 1997 (the latest year for which data was available). These enlistees consisted of about 203,000 personnel, including about 175,000 men and 28,000 women. Of this group, 72,670 did not complete their first terms. GAO also interviewed a judgmental sample of 254 first-term enlistees and 41 supervisors to gain insight into underlying causes for attrition.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA354034
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office