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Enlisted Personnel

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Members of the military with a rank below that of commissioned officer constitute a vital portion of the overall strength and mobility of an armed force. RAND research on enlisted military personnel provides objective analysis and recommendations to military leaders and civilian policymakers regarding such issues as health care, diversity and quality of recruits, reenlistment behavior, personnel management, family issues, and the effects of multiple deployments.

Report

Who Joins the Army, and Why?

May 14, 2018

The U.S. Army wants to improve its understanding of soldiers' motivations to enlist, and how the reality of Army life matches up with expectations. Interviews with soldiers ranked E-1 to E-4 offer a rich portrayal of life as a private.
Project

Survey Measures Health and Well-Being of U.S. Service Members

Jun 21, 2018

The DoD's Health Related Behaviors Survey asks questions about health-related issues that can affect force readiness or the ability to meet the demands of military life. It's been fielded for more than 30 years. About 17,000 service members participated in the latest survey.

Explore Enlisted Personnel

Periodical

Periodical

RAND Review: November-December 2018

This issue spotlights RAND's research on how providers can better meet the health care needs of veterans; life as a U.S. Army private; and Air Force efforts to improve leadership opportunities for women.

Nov 6, 2018
Essay

An Inside Look at Life in the Army's Junior Ranks

History records the names of generals, not of the privates filling out supply forms, cleaning out trucks, or huffing through another training exercise. But those privates keep the U.S. Army running. RAND research provides their unfiltered take on life in the ranks.

Oct 31, 2018
Report

How Do Senior Enlisted Leaders Influence Junior Soldiers?

The primary mission of U.S. Army noncommissioned officers is to lead and mentor soldiers. But research has placed little emphasis on how to value their experience. Knowing how NCOs influence soldiers can help the Army maintain or improve leadership quality and soldier performance and reduce personnel costs.

Oct 4, 2018
Report

Report

Resources Required to Meet the U.S. Army's Enlisted Recruiting Requirements Under Alternative Recruiting Goals, Conditions, and Eligibility Policies

The project sought to enhance efficient use of Army recruiting resources and policies by optimizing required resource levels and mix to support recruiting under varying recruiting requirements and environments and recruit eligibility policies.

Jul 12, 2018
Report

Report

Evaluating an Operator Physical Fitness Test Prototype for Tactical Air Control Party and Air Liaison Officers: A Preliminary Analysis of Test Implementation

This report provides a preliminary evaluation effort of the implementation of the physical tests and standards being adopted by the U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Control Party and Air Liaison Officer career fields.

Jul 11, 2018
Report

Report

Prospective Outcome Assessment for Alternative Recruit Selection Policies

To help the Army select recruits more likely to complete their first term and avoid adverse outcomes, this report describes a tool that estimates how changes in a variety of recruit characteristics affect first-term outcomes and costs to the Army.

Jul 6, 2018
Report

How Does Deployment Experience Compare Across the Services?

Deployments are a key aspect of U.S. military service. Since 9/11, 2.77 million service members have served on 5.4 million deployments. Accrued time deployed is a relevant metric for measuring military experience, but also for measuring service member and family well-being.

Mar 6, 2018
Report

How to Increase Gender Integration in Air Force Basic Training

Now that all positions in the Air Force are open to women, USAF leadership is looking for ways to better integrate them during basic training. There are five options that could increase gender-integrated training, but the best solution will depend on USAF priorities.

Mar 5, 2018
Report

How to Bolster Recruitment of Women into the U.S. Military

As ground combat jobs transition to include women, efforts to improve the recruitment process are expanding. Having more female recruiters could help, as could creating outreach materials that counter stereotypes and highlight the roles of women in the military.

Jun 28, 2017
Research Brief

Research Brief

Assessing the Army's Ability to Regenerate Its Active Component End Strength

This analysis modeled the Army's ability to increase ("regenerate") its active component end strength over five years -- starting from end strengths of 450,000 and 420,000 -- to provide the number of deployable troops available in 2010.

May 3, 2017
Report

Report

Evaluating the Army's Ability to Regenerate: History and Future Options

This analysis modeled the Army's ability to increase ("regenerate") its active component end strength over five years -- starting from end strengths of 450,000 and 420,000 -- to provide the number of deployable troops available in 2010.

May 3, 2017
Report

Report

Assessing the Use of Employment Screening for Sexual Assault Prevention

This report reviews employment screening policies and procedures to assess how helpful these may be for Air Force sexual assault prevention efforts and also reviews self-reporting of behaviors, background checks, and personality tests.

Mar 9, 2017
Report

Report

A Preliminary Assessment of the Regionally Aligned Forces (RAF) Concept's Implications for Army Personnel Management

RAND Arroyo Center explored how the U.S. Army might need to adapt its personnel management policies and practices to support the Regionally Aligned Forces concept.

Nov 11, 2015
Report

Report

Understanding Low Survey Response Rates Among Young U.S. Military Personnel

A review of major online U.S. military surveys found very low response rates among young enlisted members. The authors explore possible explanations, why such rates might not reflect bias, and what to do before investing to increase participation.

Jul 9, 2015
Report

An Integrated Survey System for Addressing Abuse and Misconduct Toward Air Force Trainees During Basic Military Training

RAND developed an integrated survey system to help the U.S. Air Force's Air Education and Training Command monitor and address abuse and misconduct by military training instructors toward trainees during Basic Military Training.

Jun 18, 2015
Dissertation

Dissertation

The Relationship Between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms and Career Outcomes of Army Enlisted Servicemembers

Explores the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder and negative military career outcomes.

Feb 25, 2015
Report

Report

Promoting Airmen with the Potential to Lead: A Study of the Air Force Master Sergeant Promotion System

Despite an evolving operational environment, the system for promoting airmen into the rank of master sergeant has not changed since it was developed more than 40 years ago. RAND researchers assessed the system and explored areas for improvement.

Nov 14, 2014
Blog

The Bergdahl-Taliban Prisoner Exchange Isn't New, but Presents Unique Questions

While it's been many years since the United States secured the release of a POW via prisoner exchange, RAND's Jonah Blank, a former Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff member, says that such deals are nothing new.

Jun 4, 2014
Report

Increasing Numbers of U.S. Army Recruits Enlist Some Years After High School

More than half of all U.S. Army recruits are choosing to join later in life instead of immediately after high school graduation. Older recruits tend to reenlist and receive promotions at greater rates than their younger peers.

Apr 22, 2014

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Enlisted Personnel

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