Draws on Department of Defense guidance, the economics and defense manpower literatures, interviews with personnel at the National Security Agency/Central Security Service, and an exploratory quantitative analysis to identify the factors that affect the most cost-effective mix of military personnel, government civilians, and contractors for providing language capability in the intelligence community.

This research extends the dynamic retention model to simulate the transition to the steady state, providing researchers with the ability to assess the effects of workforce management policies both in the steady state and in the transition to the steady state as well as to assess the effects of alternative implementation strategies. It helps policymakers better understand workforce dynamics and how they respond to policy change.

The military must attract, retain, and promote high-quality personnel. This monograph examines its ability to meet these goals. Using the quality index, we find that those who stay until midcareer and are promoted are significantly higher quality. The armed services must attract, retain, and promote high-quality personnel. This monograph examines their ability to meet these goals in the past. Using the quality index, we find that those who complete their first terms, who stay until year of service (YOS) 8 or YOS12, and those who are promoted to higher grades are significantly higher quality. Our conclusions differ from those drawn from traditional measures because our measure includes information that cannot be predicted at entry but is instead revealed on the job.

Presents the results of a national survey of college youth on their level of interest in military enlistment under various hypothetical programs. Reports the results of a national survey of college youth who were offered a series of hypothetical enlistment programs and were asked to rate their level of interest under each program. A USD65,000 college loan repayment program and a program allowing dropouts to enlist directly without first returning to college generated the most positive enlistment propensity.