Recruiting and Retention in the Active Component Military: Are There Problems?

This report provides information on recruiting and retention trends in the active component of the armed forces since 1989, including recruiting and retention shortfalls that occurred within the past few years; the congressional and executive branch response to these shortfalls; and an assessment of the current situation. Additionally, it contains an analysis of factors that may have an impact on recruiting and retention in the future, and discusses policy options that could be considered to minimize any negative effects that these factors might cause. In recent years, the Military Services have experienced recruiting and retention shortfalls for their active component forces. The Army, Navy, and Air Force had trouble meeting their goals for new recruits (also known as "accessions") in the late 1990s, and all of the Services experienced declines in the quality of their recruits from the early 1990s to 2000. With respect to retention, the Army, Navy, and Air Force had difficulty meeting their retention goals for enlisted personnel in the late 1990s, and the Navy and Air Force are still having some problems today. Also, concerns have been raised about low retention rates in certain critical specialties and a declining retention rate among younger officers. Cited causes of recruiting shortfalls in the late 1990s include the residual effects of the post-Cold War drawdown, competition with a robust civilian economy, competition with institutions of higher education, demographic and attitudinal changes among younger Americans, and a need for more recruiting resources. Commonly cited causes of retention shortfalls include competition with the civilian economy and job dissatisfaction due to a variety of factors, including the nature and pace of current military operations, a lack of critical supplies and equipment, "quality of life" issues, and changes in the military culture.