Suchergebnisse

This study is the second in a series funded by the Chief of Naval Personnel to address low retention of officers in the Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) community. Low junior officer retention is a concern, particularly with respect to SWO women--whose numbers have steadily declined since the repeal of the Combat Exclusion Act in 1994. Studies conducted in this area have found that family-related factors, as well as leadership and culture factors (including morale and lack of mentoring), push both men and women out of the Navy. Nonetheless, the Navy's primary effort to improve retention has been to introduce the Surface Warfare Officer Continuation Pay (SWOCP) in 1994 and, subsequently, to offer a Critical Skills Retention Bonus. Retention bonuses have not offset the non-monetary concerns, particularly for women. The present study focuses on the non-monetary factors that have received little attention in the past with respect to changes that could be made to improve retention. The findings apply to both men and women. Unlike previous studies that have assessed intentions of SWOs to stay or leave, the current study is based on a survey of officers who have actually made the decision to leave active duty and who are now in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). The data show that family-related factors are the highest-rated influences on the decision to leave active duty; this holds true for both men and women and older vs. younger year groups. Women felt more strongly than men about the influence some of these factors had on the decision to leave active duty, but the similarity between the opinions expressed by men and women was surprising. Further, monetary incentives have less influence on retention than family or leadership factors. Total military pay was more important to men than to women, but still placed lower on the list than many other factors that caused men to leave active duty. Other findings are reported that concern mentoring, gender issues, feelings about the separation decision, and incentives that could encourage this group to consider returning to active duty. More women than men would consider returning, and improvements in leadership were mentioned most often by all groups as a change that needs to be made to improve retention. Finally, recommendations are made for training interventions and research to address leadership issues.

Sponsored Report (for Acquisition Research Program) ; Studies conducted in this area have found that family-related factors, as well as leadership and culture factors (including morale and lack of mentoring), push both men and women out of the Navy. Nonetheless, the Navy''s primary effort to improve retention has been to introduce the Surface Warfare Officer Continuation Pay (SWOCP) in 1994 and, subsequently, to offer a Critical Skills Retention Bonus. Retention bonuses have not offset the non-monetary concerns, particularly for women. The present study focuses on the non-monetary factors that have received little attention in the past with respect to changes that could be made to improve retention. The findings apply to both men and women. Unlike previous studies that have assessed intentions of SWOs to stay or leave, the current study is based on a survey of officers who have actually made the decision to leave active duty and who are now in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). The data show that family-related factors are the highest-rated influences on the decision to leave active duty; this holds true for both men and women and older vs. younger year groups. Women felt more strongly than men about the influence some of these factors had on the decision to leave active duty, but the similarity between the opinions expressed by men and women was surprising. Further, monetary incentives have less influence on retention than family or leadership factors. ''Total military pay'' was more important to men than to women, but still placed lower on the list than many other factors that caused men to leave active duty. Other findings are reported that concern mentoring, gender issues, feelings about the separation decision, and incentives that could encourage this group to consider returning to active duty. More women than men would consider returning, and improvements in leadership were mentioned most often by all groups as a change that needs to be made to improve retention. Finally, recommendations are made for training interventions and research to address leadership issues. ; Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Program

The feasibility and effectiveness of teaching performance skills using a computer-based training (CBT) methodology were investigated. Graphic simulations of the appearance and functions of a system in an anti-submarine aircraft were presented to students within an instructional framework. Programmed logics controlled the dynamic representations of the equipment in response to student input made through a touch panel. The objective was to determine whether CBT could be used for low cost, part-task training. The performance of CBT students, as measured on a high fidelity simulator, was compared to that of students who had gone through conventional training consisting of workbook study and hands-on practice in the simulator. Results showed that CBT students performed the necessary skills as well before practice in the simulator as conventionally trained students could after this practice. The theoretical and cost implications are discussed.

The goal of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of the new SWOS-at-Sea training for newly commissioned surface warfare officers that was introduced in 2003. The new regime combined self-paced computer-based training (CBT) with on-the-job training (OJT) on-board an officer's ship. The study relied on a variety of analytical techniques, including a literature review of CBT and OJT training, interviews and focus groups with junior and senior surface warfare officers, and statistical analysis of test scores at the Surface Officer Division Officer Course (SWOSDOC). The literature review pointed out that no previous studies had analyzed a learning course that involved CBT when the student was also performing a full-time job. Nonetheless, the literature review noted that structured OJT is preferred to unstructured OJT, as in SWOS-at-Sea. Interviews also indicated that division officers prefer face-to-face learning and they felt they were trying to perform as division officers without the requisite skills. The statistical analysis of test scores at the SWOSDOC 'leveling' course found significant differences in performance between ship type, ship home port location, commissioning source, undergraduate major, and gender. The results highlighted significant differences in the learning environments aboard ships and suggested the need for additional research on training opportunities offered aboard ships. ; Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery and the Naval Postgraduate School have initiated the development of an innovative program in management education for senior Naval health care executives. The first phase of the development was based on interviews with 80 executives to determine their perceptions of the skills needed to effectively manage military treatment facilities. The interview findings became the basis of a survey-based needs analysis, which is the focus of this report. Data analyses were focused on the requirements for specific management skill areas, needs for education in these domanins, and how these perceptions differ as a function of rank, position, and corps of the respondents. ; Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Department of the Navy ; http://archive.org/details/preliminaryanaly00craw ; N0619A93P000014 ; Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.