The effects of combat exposure on reenlistment and attrition

Abstract

The operational environment faced by today's service members is characterized by continued deployments to combat zones where large segments of the active duty population experience stressful deployments throughout their enlistments. This study examines how battlefield experiences affect retention and attrition behavior among firstterm enlisted personnel. The data for this thesis comes from the Defense Manpower Data Center and the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center. A multivariate analysis using probit models was used to estimate effects Analyses of the models indicate that the effects of combat experiences on firstterm enlisted retention and attrition rates vary depending on the Service. Witnessing the death or injury of enemy combatants while deployed increases the attrition rates among soldiers and Marines but decreases the attrition rates for sailors and airmen. Exposure to destroyed military vehicles leads to decreases in attrition rates among soldiers, sailors, and Marines while airmen experience an increased attrition rate. Among service members who have completed at least 36 months of active duty service (24 months for three-year contracts) combat exposure that is statistically significant generally increases retention among service members in the Army and Air Force but decreases retention rates for service members in the Navy and Marine Corps.