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1 1 (May 11, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/govedgw0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Updated May 11, 2021 Defense Primer: Active Duty Enlisted Retention Retention The term retention refers to the rate at which military personnel voluntarily choose to stay in the military after their obligated termof service has ended (as determined by their enlistment contract). Imbalances in the retention rate can cause problems within the military personnel system A common retention concern is that too few people willstay in, thereby creating a shortage of experiencedleaders, decreasing military efficiency, and lowering job satisfaction. This was a particular concernfrom2004 to 2009, as the stress of major combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanis tan raised concerns about the willingness of military personnel to continue serving. The opposite concern may also occur at times, particularly during force drawdowns: that too many people will stay in, thereby decreasing promotion opportunities andpossibly requiring involuntarily separations to prevent the organization from becoming top heavy with middle- and upper-levelleadeis or to comply with end-strength limitations. Each of these imbalances can also have a negative impact on recruitingby making the military ales s-attractive career option. Congressional Rok The Constitution provides Congress with broadpowers over the Armed Forces, including the power To raise and support Armies and To provide andmaintain a Navy. In the exercise of this authority, Congress has historically shown great interest in maintaining military retention rates sufficient to sustain a fully manned andcapable military workforce. Through its oversight powers, Congress monitors the performance of the Executive Branch in managing the size and quality of the military workforce. Congress influences retention rates in a variety ofways, including authorizing and funding * overall compensation levels, particularly in light of their competitiveness with priv ate-sector compensation; * quality-of-life initiatives that enhance servicemember and family member s atis faction with a military career; * retention programs that provide for dedicated career counselors; and * retention incentives, such as reenlistment bonuses. More broadly, congressionally established personnelend- strength levels caninfluence each Service's retentiongoals. For example, if Congress were to substantially increase the end-s trength for a Service, that Service will generally require a greater number of new recruits, higher rates of retention among current servicemembers, or some combination of the two. Congress als o es tablishes criteria that affect eligibility for continued service, such as disability separation andretirement (Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 61) and punitive discharge for criminal activity (Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 45). Retention Goals and Results Table 1 lists active duty enlisted retention goals and results for FY2018-FY2020. The data are broken out by Service and retentionzones, which are establishedby each Service to reflect important phases in the military career lifecycle. For example, a soldier coming to the end ofhis or her first enlistment after s erving for four years in the Army would be in the Army's Initial Term retention zone; a s imilarly s ituated s ailor would fall into the Navy's ZoneA retention zone. The Services' main retention zones listed in Table 1 are defined as follows: Army Retention Zones * Initial Term serving in first enlistment, regardless of length * Mid-career: second or subsequent enlistmentwith less than 10years ofservice * Career: second or subsequent enlistment with 10or more years of service Navy Retention Zones * Zone A: up to sixyears of service * Zone B: 6 years of service to under 10 years of service * Zone C: 10 years of service to under 14 years of service Marine Corps Retention Zones * First term- servingin first enlistment * Subsequent: second or subsequentenlistment, with less than 18 years of service Air Force Retention Zones * Zone A: 17 months to under 6years of service * Zone B: 6 years of service to under 10 years of service * Zone C: 10 years ofservice to under 14 years ofservice Congres sional interest in retention typically increases when a Service fails to meet its goal for one or more retention zones by about 10% or more, and particularly if the shortfall continues over s everal years. Additionally, even if a Service is meeting its goals byretention zones, Congress may nonetheless focus on retention shortfalls within https ://ctsrepurts~conigre

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