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1 1 (December 21, 2022)

handle is hein.crs/govejwn0001 and id is 1 raw text is: aaCongressional Research Service Informing the legislative debate since 1914 Updated December 21, 2022 Defense Primer: Active Component Enlisted Retention Retention The term retention refers to the rate at which military personnel voluntarily choose to stay in the military after their obligated term of 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 will stay in, thereby creating a shortage of experienced leaders, decreasing military efficiency, and lowering job satisfaction. This was a particular concern from 2004 to 2009, as the stress of major combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan 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 and possibly requiring involuntarily separations to prevent the organization from becoming top heavy with middle- and upper-level leaders or to comply with end-strength limitations. Each of these imbalances can also have a negative impact on recruiting by making the military a less-attractive career option. Congressional Roic The Constitution provides Congress with broad powers over the Armed Forces, including the power To raise and support Armies and To provide and maintain 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 and capable 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 of ways, including authorizing and funding * overall compensation levels, particularly in light of their competitiveness with private-sector compensation; * quality-of-life initiatives that enhance servicemember and family member satisfaction with a military career; * retention programs that provide for dedicated career counselors; and * retention incentives, such as reenlistment bonuses. More broadly, congressionally established personnel end- strength levels can influence each armed service's retention goals. For example, if Congress were to substantially increase the end-strength for an armed service, that service would generally require a greater number of new recruits, higher rates of retention among current servicemembers, or some combination of the two. Congress also establishes criteria that affect eligibility for continued service, such as disability separation and retirement (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 component enlisted retention goals and results for FY2020-FY2022. The data are broken out by armed service and retention zones, which are established by each armed service to reflect important phases in the military career lifecycle. For example, a soldier coming to the end of his or her first enlistment after serving for four years in the Army would be in the Army's Initial Term retention zone; a similarly situated sailor would fall into the Navy's Zone A retention zone. The armed 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 enlistment with less than 10 years of service * Career: second or subsequent enlistment with 10 or more years of service Navy Retention Zones * Zone A: up to six years 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: serving in first enlistment * Subsequent: second or subsequent enlistment, with less than 18 years of service Air Force Retention Zones * Zone A: 17 months to under 6 years 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 Congressional interest in retention typically increases when an armed service fails to meet its goal for one or more retention zones by about 10% or more, and particularly if the shortfall continues over several years. Additionally, even if an armed service is meeting its goals by retention zones, Congress may nonetheless focus on retention

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