Increasing efficiency and incentives for performance in the Army's selective reenlistment bonus (SRB) program / Beth J. Asch, Michael G. Mattock, Patricia K. Tong, Jason M. Ward.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Asch, Beth J.

Contributor:

Mattock, Michael G., 1961-

Tong, Patricia K.

Ward, Jason M.

Arroyo Center.

Rand Corporation.

United States. Army.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Army--Recruiting, enlistment, etc--Costs.

United States.

United States. Army--Recruiting, enlistment, etc--Mathematical models.

United States. Army.

Mathematical models.

Physical Description:

xxvii, 106 pages : illustrations ; 28 cm

Place of Publication:

Santa Monica, Calif. : RAND, [2021]

Summary:

This report documents research and analysis conducted as part of a project entitled Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Special and Incentive Pays in the Army, sponsored by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. The purpose of the project was to help the Army determine how to best increase incentives for higher performance among enlisted members and to more efficiently achieve Army retention objectives. While past research consistently found that reenlistment bonuses increase the likelihood that a service member reenlists and continues to serve, there is little evidence on how they increase performance. The Army requested that RAND Arroyo Center provide analyses to improve the setting of special and incentive pays, focusing on its selective reenlistment bonus (SRB) program. Since the beginning of fiscal year 2011, the Army has used what it calls the Tiered SRB program, in which soldiers who reenlist receive a lump-sum dollar amount. One notable attribute of the Tiered SRB program from the standpoint of performance incentives is that it provides the same SRB to soldiers regardless of whether they are promoted faster or slower than their peers, given their grade, military occupational specialty, and additional obligated service length. The authors simulated alternative SRB programs in which SRBs also varied by years of service, giving higher SRBs to those promoted faster to a grade. Restructuring SRBs to reward those who are promoted faster would increase performance incentives relative to the current approach used by the Army.

Contents:

Introduction

Insights from Discussions with Service Managers and from the Literature on Restructuring SRBs

Alternative Courses of Action

DRM, Data, and Simulation Methodology

Results

Conclusions

APPENDIX A: A History of Army Reenlistment Bonuses, Evidence on Effectiveness, and Past Reform Proposals

APPENDIX B: How Selected MOSs Are Identified in the Data

APPENDIX C: Model Estimates and Model Fits for the Other MOSs.

APPENDIX D: Additional Results.

Notes:

Title from PDF document (title page; viewed September 14, 2021).

"Prepared for the United States Army."

"RAND Arroyo Center."

Includes bibliographical references (pages 103-106).

Description based on electronic resource.

ISBN:

1977407536

9781977407535

OCLC:

1272913736