Weight standards and Marine Corps attrition

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate the effects on attrition of Marine recruits failing to meet height weight standards at time of accession. This was accomplished by estimating two maximum likelihood, logit models using different samples of historical Marine Corps attrition data. The boot camp model focused on attrition through the first three months of active duty. The first-term model examined attrition from the completion of boot camp to the end of the first enlistment term. The results of the study identified failure to meet height/weight standards as the most significant variable in the boot camp model. The significance of the variable was superceded in the first-term model by education, mental group, and program contract. Attrition probabilities proved to be significantly higher for overweight recruits, but decreased ff the individual participated in the DEP, had an aviation contract guarantee, or attended recruit training at San Diego.