Posted on Aug 18, 2020
Why do you think it is that the Army has a retention problem? What can the Army do to keep good soldiers?
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42A: Human Resources Specialist
SSG
SPC
Retention
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 27
Taskings. Training. Too many taskings and too little training. Just from the Reserve side of the house, in my unit these two things are the two reasons that give me the most migraines. We are a low density MOS. Progression can be slow because getting the training needed is very hard. It can be done, but it's like pulling teeth with plastic Barbie Doll tweezers. So many taskers that need to be completed both during the weeks before/after Battle Assembly and during Battle Assembly, there is little to no room for job skill training nor Basic Soldier skills. We can do those during our annual training exercises....but it hurts.
These things I listed, along with the large amount of other issues....are the reasons why Retention is can be low.
These things I listed, along with the large amount of other issues....are the reasons why Retention is can be low.
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SGT Bradley Dixon
https://www.rallypoint.com/profiles/198196-68s-preventive-medicine-specialist I see that as well and I have only performed my first BA.
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SSG Thomas Werstlein
I was AD Signal and it was the same. Too many taskings keeping units away from training. I understand there is also a budget to follow but when Congress cuts the budget it doesn't just affect new equipment purchases or manning strengths, it also affects how many hours units can spend in the field training. The more time Soldiers spend raking rocks and mowing grass the more they become disenfranchised with the day to day life as a Soldier and ETS/Retire. This also limits the ability for good leaders to thrive due to garrison micromanagement.
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The Army doesn’t have a retention problem. I always hear people say “... that’s why we have a retention problem”. Well, we don’t have a Retention problem. The Army and all the other branches constantly make their Retention mission. A couple years ago we retained over 90% of Soldiers who were eligible to reenlist. We meet our Retention mission, and then when recruiting fails to meet their mission, they raise the retention mission halfway through the year and we meet that one as well. The Army sells itself. In fact, the only units that don’t make their retention mission are the ones with extremely bad command teams who actively try to kick everyone out.
So, no we don’t have a retention problem at all. It’s too easy to reenlist to go somewhere cool if you don’t like where you’re at
So, no we don’t have a retention problem at all. It’s too easy to reenlist to go somewhere cool if you don’t like where you’re at
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CPT (Join to see)
An eye opening statistic I saw a few years ago was the USAR has the LT billets filled at 200%. Then the CPT billets fall to 85% capacity, and MAJ/LTC fall to 65%. The USAR is losing more than half the LT's, and by time they are selected for CPT they fall into the IRR window and disappear altogether.
Recently a MILPER went out to give retention bonuses to CPT's and MAJ's in the USAR. I have never seen that before. I don't qualify of course, and the window was very narrow, with no more than 14 years in service, and have the next level of education completed for promotion. Which to me is the Army asking for too much of a guarantee in what they were willing to give in return. They should have allowed PME not to be completed yet, but competition as a condition of future payment.
The way it was set up, the USAR isn’t going to get anyone additionally that wasn’t already planning to stay (otherwise they wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of knocking out PME), and those on the fence without PME done wont be able to finish the PME before the bonus window closes. So in the end…..meh…..
The most costly retention programs are the ones trying to get people as they are walking out the door.
Recently a MILPER went out to give retention bonuses to CPT's and MAJ's in the USAR. I have never seen that before. I don't qualify of course, and the window was very narrow, with no more than 14 years in service, and have the next level of education completed for promotion. Which to me is the Army asking for too much of a guarantee in what they were willing to give in return. They should have allowed PME not to be completed yet, but competition as a condition of future payment.
The way it was set up, the USAR isn’t going to get anyone additionally that wasn’t already planning to stay (otherwise they wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of knocking out PME), and those on the fence without PME done wont be able to finish the PME before the bonus window closes. So in the end…..meh…..
The most costly retention programs are the ones trying to get people as they are walking out the door.
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SFC (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) I was only remarking on the enlisted side. I know that on the officer side, all the services are bleeding talent and it’s been going on for at least a decade now. But the officers who have finished their ADSO are highly desirable to the corporate world after years of managing personnel and property. The Army just changed the ADSO for Aviators to 10 years because they lose so many of them after their ADSO.
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
SFC (Join to see) - Hmm odd. This is from last year: https://www.stripes.com/military-recruitment-retention-challenges-remain-service-chiefs-say-1.581364
"But despite those initiatives, and some positive trends in recruitment, there’s much work ahead to meet the needs of a modern military."
"Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., chairwoman of the panel who recently visited several installations, said servicemembers have four key areas of concern: assignment location, child care, spouse professional employment and help resources for sexual misconduct and domestic violence.
Mississippi Rep. Trent Kelly, the ranking Republican on the subpanel, said he’s especially concerned about severe waits for child care that go beyond six months. Service chiefs told lawmakers that many of the child care delays arise in Hawaii and Alaska, as well as large installations such as Langley Air Force Base and Quantico in Virginia and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California.
Kelly said he’s also concerned the Defense Department isn’t using available data to its full potential to meet retention demands."
From what I have read - it seems the services barely meet their retention goals and those issues mentioned above are key reasons why.
"But despite those initiatives, and some positive trends in recruitment, there’s much work ahead to meet the needs of a modern military."
"Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., chairwoman of the panel who recently visited several installations, said servicemembers have four key areas of concern: assignment location, child care, spouse professional employment and help resources for sexual misconduct and domestic violence.
Mississippi Rep. Trent Kelly, the ranking Republican on the subpanel, said he’s especially concerned about severe waits for child care that go beyond six months. Service chiefs told lawmakers that many of the child care delays arise in Hawaii and Alaska, as well as large installations such as Langley Air Force Base and Quantico in Virginia and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California.
Kelly said he’s also concerned the Defense Department isn’t using available data to its full potential to meet retention demands."
From what I have read - it seems the services barely meet their retention goals and those issues mentioned above are key reasons why.
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SFC (Join to see)
SFC Kelly Fuerhoff a little further down you’ll read:
James Stewart, acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told House lawmakers that the military services are exhibiting strong retention rates and are expected to meet goals this year to keep servicemembers from leaving.
Recruiting is always a struggle and any year the economy isn’t bad recruiting falls short of their goal. The Army always makes its enlisted retention mission and over produces. The area the Army is losing retention is Aviation Warrants. As for the other services, I read that the USAF and USN have slightly higher rates and the USMC slightly lower, although they’re all within single digits of difference.
James Stewart, acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told House lawmakers that the military services are exhibiting strong retention rates and are expected to meet goals this year to keep servicemembers from leaving.
Recruiting is always a struggle and any year the economy isn’t bad recruiting falls short of their goal. The Army always makes its enlisted retention mission and over produces. The area the Army is losing retention is Aviation Warrants. As for the other services, I read that the USAF and USN have slightly higher rates and the USMC slightly lower, although they’re all within single digits of difference.
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I come from a finance/economic background, so I think its straight up dollars.
Until a few years ago the Army had one last carrot to its employees and that was its pension plan. That now has been removed as well. The current retirement plan is much on par what current employers offer. However, the Army operates with a greater level of “complexity” that soldiers do not have to deal with on the outside, and what was the biggest retention tool for the Army (the pension) now gone, and the ability of soldiers to take much of their retirement next egg with them the financial consequences of leaving the Army after a 2nd and 3rd enlistment are greatly lessened.
On the USAR front much is similar, and without the ability to fully vest the GI Bill and the annual tuition assistant plan is no better than anything offered by many employers the questioned is begged, what does the USAR offer the soldier?
The only thing that seems to be left now is the cost effective health care ($100 a month for me as a 40 something male to get health, dental, and $400K life insurance), but at the end of that day that is no longer financial incentive enough to sick around in face of the Army’s “Complexity”.
I don’t believe the Army has fully seen its retention problems. Wait until all the old pension plan soldiers have retired, and everyone is on the new 401K type system.
Until a few years ago the Army had one last carrot to its employees and that was its pension plan. That now has been removed as well. The current retirement plan is much on par what current employers offer. However, the Army operates with a greater level of “complexity” that soldiers do not have to deal with on the outside, and what was the biggest retention tool for the Army (the pension) now gone, and the ability of soldiers to take much of their retirement next egg with them the financial consequences of leaving the Army after a 2nd and 3rd enlistment are greatly lessened.
On the USAR front much is similar, and without the ability to fully vest the GI Bill and the annual tuition assistant plan is no better than anything offered by many employers the questioned is begged, what does the USAR offer the soldier?
The only thing that seems to be left now is the cost effective health care ($100 a month for me as a 40 something male to get health, dental, and $400K life insurance), but at the end of that day that is no longer financial incentive enough to sick around in face of the Army’s “Complexity”.
I don’t believe the Army has fully seen its retention problems. Wait until all the old pension plan soldiers have retired, and everyone is on the new 401K type system.
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MAJ (Join to see)
You don’t even get that great tricare reserve if you are a federal employee. You have to use your federal insurance.
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1SG (Join to see)
I could not believe it when I became a VA employee that I could not stay on my Tricare Reserve Select, because their is a law that makes you drop it.MAJ (Join to see)
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