A Job Satisfaction and Retention Study of Air Force Medical Service Corps Officers Recently Acquired from Civilian Sources

The United States Air Force AF is experiencing a shortage of upper grade Medical Service Corps MSC officers because of past emphasis on the selection of prior enlisted members for commission in the corps. The recruitment of significantly more civilians into the MSC in recent years is hoped to provide a solution to this shortage in the long term. The purpose of this project is to determine if these new officers are satisfied in their jobs, and if they will stay in the corps for a career. An analysis of the JDI scores reveals that these new officers were indeed more satisfied in their jobs than the subjects studied by previous researchers. Using the chi-square test of independence, the five dimensions of job satisfaction work, pay, promotion, supervision, and co- workers are evaluated against the demographic characteristics of the respondents. Significant relationships are reported and explanations are offered. Finally, it is concluded that AF MSC officers recently acquired from civilian status are satisfied in their jobs, and that the retention rate of this group should be good. It is recommended that the AF continue to recruit new MSC officers from outside the military. Suggestions for further research in this area are provided. Keywords Personnel retention Medical personnel Personnel management Theses.