THE BOOMERANG SOLDIER: DOES RECRUITMENT OF FORMER SOF OFFICERS AND ENLISTED REQUIRE REVISION?
Authors
Sirois, Brandon P.
Chesnut, Kevin A.
Subjects
Special Operations Forces
SOF
Army Special Operations Forces
ARSOF
recruiting
retention
prior-service
officer
enlisted
fiscally conservative future
government spending
boomerang employee
soldier
policy
bonuses/special and incentive pay
S&I pay
Blended Retirement System
BRS
SOF
Army Special Operations Forces
ARSOF
recruiting
retention
prior-service
officer
enlisted
fiscally conservative future
government spending
boomerang employee
soldier
policy
bonuses/special and incentive pay
S&I pay
Blended Retirement System
BRS
Advisors
Burks, Robert E.
Date of Issue
2020-12
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
For the past five years, Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) have relentlessly labored on recruiting and retention efforts to achieve both their quantitative and qualitative missions of recruiting and retaining. Currently, there is not enough research into why prior service recruitment of formerly separated Soldiers, known as boomerang Soldiers, is a cheaper and more viable recruitment option. Using an in-depth case study of civilian sector boomerang policies, this thesis shows what the Special Operations Forces (SOF) and even the Army at large can learn from a civilian sector that embraces hiring former employees. This thesis examines the value of recruiting former SOF Soldiers and why effective high-cost methods of recruitment and retention through bonuses/special and incentive pay (S&I pay) may be unsustainable in a fiscally conservative future. A future Army faces the unknown effects of the military’s new Blended Retirement System (BRS), growing economic concerns, and COVID-19 aftereffects. This thesis explains why a boomerang Soldier recruitment policy is cheaper for the U.S. military and serves to reduce monetary personnel expenditures while achieving both quantity and quality in SOF recruiting and retention. The thesis recommends prescriptive steps needed for a boomerang policy to be implemented as an innovative talent recruitment solution for SOF.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Defense Analysis (DA)
Defense Analysis (DA)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. distribution is unlimited
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.