Selective Retention: A Longitudinal Analysis. III. A Comparison of Recruit Training Attrities, Delayed Graduates, and Graduates

The objective of this effort was to compare the attitudinal responses, collected during the first and last weeks of recruit training, of recruits who were discharged during recruit training attrites, those who graduated from recruit training after a delay for remedial or medical treatment delayed graduates, and those who graduated from recruit training without delay graduates. At the beginning or recruit training, the attitudes, of delayed graduates and graduates were similar and were significantly more positive than those expressed by the attrites. At the end of training, delayed graduates and graduates exhibited a large number of attitudinal differences. The delayed graduates reported more negative experiences during recruit training, less intention to complete their enlistment, less satisfaction with the Navy, and less commitment to the Navy than did the graduates. The delayed graduates also experienced a higher rate of post recruit training attrition during the first 20-21 months of the first enlistment than did the graduates. Author