First Watch on the First Term of Enlistment: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis of Data from the First Year of the Study

First Watch is designed to determine the core reasons for attrition and retention for first-term Sailors in the U.S. Navy. Attrition rate is staggering both in terms of dollars expended and in disruption to the personnel readiness of the Navy. The First Watch project is designed as a longitudinal pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marshall-Mies, Joanne C, Jupton, Tanya B, Hirose, Christina M, White, Michael A, Mottern, Jacqueline A, Eshwar, Naina C
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
ATTRITION
BENEFITS
DATA ACQUISITION
ENLISTED PERSONNEL
JOBS
Military Forces and Organizations
NAVAL PERSONNEL
NAVAL TRAINING
Personnel Management and Labor Relations
PERSONNEL RETENTION
QUESTIONNAIRES
RECRUITING
WATCH(DUTY)
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Summary:First Watch is designed to determine the core reasons for attrition and retention for first-term Sailors in the U.S. Navy. Attrition rate is staggering both in terms of dollars expended and in disruption to the personnel readiness of the Navy. The First Watch project is designed as a longitudinal project in which cohorts of new recruits are tracked through their first term of enlistment in the Navy (normally a 4-year enlistment). Questionnaires were administered at five key points in the recruit's/Sailor's first term: at the beginning and end of recruit training, at the end of A/Apprentice School, when the recruit/Sailor exits the Navy during training, and after the Sailor get to his/her Fleet job. This report covers the first year of data collection. Results indicate that RTC attrites were more likely to join the Navy to escape home or family situations and for the benefits associated with a Navy job than are RTC graduates. Results also showed that the Navy did not live up to attrites' expectations and that their values were not as consonant with Navy culture as those who ultimately graduated from RTC. Further, results indicate that attrites used stress coping styles that were not consonant with the demands of recruit training (e.g., wishful thinking), and that their levels of stress were higher, their morale lower, and that they slept fewer hours per night while in recruit training than did RTC graduates. The original document contains color images.