An Analysis of Marine Corps Delayed Entry Program (DEP) Attrition by High School Graduates and High School Seniors

This study investigates the effects of personal background characteristics on USMC Delayed Entry Program DEP attrition for high school senior and high school graduate recruits and recommends policy changes to decrease DEP attrition rates. Logistic regression models to explain DEP attrition are estimated using data from the USMC Total Force Data Warehouse for all high school graduates and high school seniors who enlisted between fiscal years 2000 and 2005. DEP attrition is regressed on fiscal year, recruiting district, time spent in DEP, separation month, age, gender, AFQT score, race, marital status and dependent status, day of enlistment, and unemployment rate. Model results show that high school seniors are more likely to be DEP losses than high school graduates. Female recruits, single recruits and recruits without dependents show higher attrition rates, as do those with lower AFQT scores. Recruits who enlisted in eastern recruiting districts, who spent longer time in DEP, and who enlisted on the last day or in the last week of the month are more likely to attrite. High School seniors are most likely to attrite in March and April. Unemployment rates were negatively associated with high school graduates DEP attrition, but estimated effects were small.