An Analysis of the Relationship of Military Affiliation to Demographics, New Sailor Survey Responses, and Boot Camp Success

This study examines the relationship of military affiliation to demographics, New Sailor Survey responses administered during fiscal year 2007, and graduation from boot camp. A recruit was categorized as having military affiliation if parents or siblings of the recruit had served or were serving in the military. Recruits military affiliation showed no significant relationship with AFQT scores, age, bonus amounts, college level, graduation rate from boot camp, number of dependents, boot camp pay grade, race, single status, or the quarter in which the recruit went to boot camp. There was a relationship between military affiliation and a recruits being female, Hispanic, or not a U.S. citizen. In general, military affiliation did not have an unexplainable significant effect on responses to the New Sailor Survey. The survey responses as a whole suggest that military affiliation does have an effect on how recruits respond however, further data collection and analysis is necessary beyond the 2,101 data points in this study. The logistic model showed that bonuses above 15,000 and being male were positive predictors of graduation from boot camp. Furthermore, the more a recruit felt prepared by his or her recruiter, the more likely he or she would graduate from boot camp.