Factors Affecting the Career Decisions of Army Captains
Abstract
Army captains were interviewed to determine factors that affect their- career-decisions. Seventeen Fort Benning captains who had submitted their paperwork to separate from the Army ("leavers"), 15 Fort Benning captains who planned to remain in the Army ("stayers"), and 15 captains from four Infantry posts who had separated from the Army but had recently returned to active duty ("returners") were interviewed. Because the majority of those interviewed were assigned to Fort Benning, the generality of the results to the Army as a whole are limited. However, job dissatisfaction/frustration, family issues, and the perception of strong civilan job opportunity were the main reasons captains left. Pay and benefits were not among the top factors mentioned. Leavers also were less satisfied with their degree of intrinsic job satisfactions and chances for advancement than stayers or returners. Stayers and returners valued the intrinsic qualities of Army work and life. Suggestions for improving captain retention include earlier and more meaningful mentoring of junior officers, giving officers more control in the job assignment process, and better management of operational tempo (OPTEMPO).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA380929
Entities
People
- John R. Hyatt
- Michael D. Matthews
Organizations
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences