Department of Defense September 2003 Adult Poll 5 Overview Report
Abstract
The Adult Polls are designed to help the Department of Defense understand the role that adults play in influencing youth's consideration of and enlistment into the U.S. military. This report details the findings from the September 2003 Adult Poll 5, focusing on adults' likelihood to recommend the military, their level of knowledge of the military, their overall impressions of the military, and their perceptions of current events and economic conditions. Overall, results of the September 2003 Adult Poll 5 are very similar to those of the 2002 Adult Poll 4. However, the proportion of adults who were likely to recommend the military continued its gradual decline since October 2001 (66%), and is now down to 52% - the lowest level since the Adult Polls began in May 2001. Nonparents remain more likely than parents to recommend the military (57% and 39%, respectively). Favorability towards the military is approximately the same as it was a year ago. This survey revealed that there are significant differences in favorability across the major racial/ethnic groups. Hispanics are the most favorable toward the military and each of the Services and Components, with the exception of the Coast Guard. Blacks are the least favorable toward the military. Self-reported knowledge of the military remains low (6.1 on a scale of 1-low to 10-high), and has not changed significantly since October 2001. Currently, it appears that adults and youth alike are uninformed when it comes to the reality of military service. In this environment, associations become even more important because people rely on these associations to draw inferences to fill gaps in their knowledge. Experts in branding suggest that to create the most conducive environment, marketing managers and advertisers must focus on one kind of position for their brand. Within the general adult segment, this research suggests that focusing on Personal Development may be the best approach. (14 tables, 54 figures)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA426586
Entities
People
- Andrea Zucker
- Brian Ebarvia
- David Snyder
- Matt Boehmer
- Ray Seghers
Organizations
- Defense Human Resources Activity