An Analysis of the Effects of Deployment on Turnover in the United States Army Reserve
Abstract
This thesis addresses Army Reserve post-deployment turnover. Fifty-two prior Army Reservists who left the Reserves after their deployment were questioned in semi-structured telephone interviews. Survey questions were developed using motivation and turnover theories, and a Integrated Turnover Model relating a Reservist's deployment experience to the presence or absence of six major factors: involvement, demotivators, equity, reinforcement, reward relevance, and goals. Deficiencies were found in all six areas, with the most influential and interconnected determinant of post-deployment turnover stemming from poor leadership. Other commonly cited examples included: lack of timely deployment information, inefficient distribution of Reserve manpower, and inequitable treatment of Reserve by active members. Recommendations to reduce turnover include: revamp the Reserve officer leadership training and education program to emphasize exemplary moral behavior on the part of Reserve officers, straightforward communication of deployment dates, balance manning plans, and consider deploying Reservists from home sites.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA361620
Entities
People
- Michele A. Mccloskey
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School