Counter-Attrition Programs in the United States Armed Forces

Abstract : This report is concerned with the area of enlisted personnel retention. The authors catalogued and evaluated a broad spectrum of programs, interventions, strategies, and management tools which directly or indirectly demonstrated promise in countering first term enlisted attrition. It is Tri-Service in scope and moves throughout the personnel 'life-cycle' for pre-enlistment to permanent duty retraining programs. This document provides an overview and analysis of extant counter-attrition programs across the US Armed Services. Extensive telephone interviews, perusal of documentation, and on-site program examination, produced the bulk of information. Promising counter-attrition programs included pre-enlistment basic skills education and military familiarization, attrition prediction screening, realistic expectations interventions, post-enlistment functional literacy training, and correctional retraining. Originator supplied keywords include: IMPACT program, Screening, and corrections.