Serving the most deserving: An analysis of United States Army family policy and factors contributing to the retention of soldiers.

Format:

Book

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Spinks, Martha Kay.

Contributor:

University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Political planning.

Industrial relations.

Families--Research.

Families.

Sociology--Research.

Sociology.

Public administration.

0617.

0628.

0629.

0630.

Local Subjects:

0617.

0628.

0629.

0630.

Physical Description:

326 pages

Contained In:

Dissertation Abstracts International 60-12A.

System Details:

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

text file

Summary:

Statement of the problem. This study analyzed the retention of officer and enlisted men and women in the United States Army, based on demographic and socioeconomic factors, role perceptions, or social support. Procedure and methods. Retrospective analysis was performed on data from The 1989 Army Soldier and Family Survey, which asked a representative sample of 11,035 soldiers about their family and work lives. Information from the survey was merged with the respondents' personnel records, obtained from the Department of Defense, which maintains detailed demographic data on each military person. Then the respondents were tracked from 1988 to 1995 to determine the likelihood that soldiers in given subgroups would remain in the Army for a given number of years, qualify for retirement, or be discharged short of retirement. Logistic regression analyzed whether retirement or discharge might be associated with role perceptions, spouse/family preferences, or use of family services. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis model compared retention rates of men and women, adjusting for race, rank, marital status, parental status, and dual careers. Results. Descriptive statistics showed differences between and within groups, by rank, sex, race, marital status, parental status, dual careers, use of family services, time off from work, and self ratings of success with work and family. Logistic regression yielded no significant correlations between retention and work-family precedence, role perceptions, or use of family services. The Kaplan-Meier models were African Americans appear to find opportunity and success in the Army. Soldiers place a priority on family life, which to some extent is encouraged by Army family policies and reflected in time taken off from work for family responsibilities, especially among men. The Army appears to have a flexible work schedule that facilitates and encourages family involvement. Descriptive statistics suggested a correlation between retention and Army family services, but the relationship remains unclear.

Notes:

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 60-12, Section: A, page: 4626.

Adviser: Michael Reisch.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Pennsylvania, 1999.

Local Notes:

School code: 0175.

ISBN:

9780599558762

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.