Factors Influencing the Career Orientation of Junior Officers in the United States Navy.

This thesis develops and tests a working model to analyze the career orientation of the junior military officer. In particular, the influence of Navy personnel policies on junior officer career orientation is explored. There are 5 variable categories in this model. The model shows that the variables which measure the individuals overall satisfaction with Navy life are the most influential. The model explains over 40 of the variance in the career orientation among junior officers with more than two and less than ten years of active duty. For two specific subsets of these officers, 60 of the variance in career orientation is explained. Additionally, several conclusions are developed regarding the influence of commission source, perception of alternative job opportunities, an officers position within his period of obligated service, and his satisfaction regarding the intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of his military job on the career orientation behavior of junior officers in the United States Navy. Knowledge of the relative influence of the variables in this model will provide manpower planners with information needed to evaluate the success of personnel policies designed to increase junior officer retention.