{"id":49933,"date":"2023-02-24T14:05:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-24T14:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/02\/24\/the-army-doesnt-know-why-junior-officers-are-leaving\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:11:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:11:51","slug":"the-army-doesnt-know-why-junior-officers-are-leaving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2023\/02\/24\/the-army-doesnt-know-why-junior-officers-are-leaving\/","title":{"rendered":"The Army doesn\u2019t know why junior officers are leaving"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Does the Army know why junior officers leave? The discrepancy between two relevant studies suggests not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Col. Everett Spain\u2019s groundbreaking 2021 study, \u201cThe Battalion Commander Effect,\u201d<\/a> found that battalion commanders play a major role in determining whether lieutenants stay or leave the Army. Strangely, though, leadership did not even make the top-five reasons junior officers leave the Army in the Department of the Army Career Engagement Survey<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Implemented in 2020, the career engagement survey found that servicemembers, including junior officers, leave the Army primarily for family concerns. The survey identified the most important reasons for leaving the Army as: \u201cEffects of deployments on my family\/personal relationships,\u201d \u201cImpact of Army life on my significant other\u2019s career plans\/goals,\u201d \u201cImpact of Army life on family plans for children,\u201d \u201cThe degree of stability\/predictability of Army life,\u201d and \u201cImpact of military service on my family\u2019s well-being.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Struck by the disparity between \u201cThe Battalion Commander Effect\u201d and the career engagement survey, I conducted an independent survey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Survey Methodology<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My survey\u2019s population of interest was junior officers who plan to separate or recently separated from the Army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I asked the following multiple-choice questions to determine whether the reasons for separation varied between certain demographics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.\tWhat is your rank?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.\tWhat was your rank when you decided to separate from the Army?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.\tAre you prior-enlisted?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4.\tWhat was your commissioning source?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5.\tWhat is\/was your military service status?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next question asked respondents to select at most four reasons for leaving the Army:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6.\t-Impediment to family\/personal relationships<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Impediment to spouse\u2019s career prospects<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Lack of fulfillment<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Poor leadership<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Better job prospects outside the Army<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Opposition to traditional Army schedule<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Lack of romantic prospects<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Physical\/mental health concerns<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Disagreements with the evaluation\/promotion system<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Lack of autonomy\/control over my present and future<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Low\/declining standards<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Other (if applicable, explain in the next question)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the spirit of open-mindedness, the final two questions were short answers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.\tIf you answered \u201cother\u201d in the previous question, please list your reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8.\tPlease expand on your reason(s) for leaving the Army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the survey closed, the final sample size was 523. Calculated at the 95% confidence level, the survey\u2019s margin of error was 5%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Limitations<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I relied on social media to circulate the survey. Dissemination platforms included satirical military pages on Instagram, which could have resulted in sampling bias.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The survey overrepresented the United States Military Academy at West Point-commissioned and Officer Candidate School-commissioned officers, while slightly underrepresenting Reserve Officer Training Corps-commissioned officers. Accordingly, commissioning source variance may have skewed the results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the survey vehicle did not rank respondents\u2019 selections 1-4 based on the weight of their decision to separate. Therefore, results can only be interpreted by their recurrence, not their influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Results<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 40% of respondents mentioned four of five reasons. In descending order, these were: \u201clack of autonomy\/control over my present\/future,\u201d \u201cpoor leadership,\u201d \u201cbetter job prospects outside the Army,\u201d \u201cimpediment to family\/personal relationships,\u201d and \u201clack of fulfillment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
One of multiple findings from a survey conducted by Capt. Lindsay Gabow on why junior officers are leaving the Army. (Jacki Belker\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Notably, the commissioning source produced considerable variance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In descending order, ROTC-commissioned officers cited: \u201clack of autonomy\/control over my present and future,\u201d \u201cimpediment to family\/personal relationships,\u201d \u201cpoor leadership,\u201d \u201cbetter job prospects outside the Army,\u201d and \u201clack of fulfillment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ROTC Reasons for Leaving the Army<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
One of multiple findings from a survey conducted by Capt. Lindsay Gabow on why junior officers are leaving the Army. (Jacki Belker\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

West Point-commissioned officers cited: \u201clack of autonomy\/control over my present and future,\u201d \u201cbetter job prospects outside the Army,\u201d \u201clack of fulfillment,\u201d \u201cimpediment to family\/personal relationships,\u201d and \u201cpoor leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

West Point Reasons for Leaving the Army<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Capt. Lindsay Gabow conducted an extensive survey of Army junior officers to find out why they get out. (Jacki Belker\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Finally, OCS-commissioned officers cited: \u201cpoor leadership,\u201d \u201clack of autonomy\/control over my present\/future,\u201d \u201cimpediment to family\/personal relationships,\u201d \u201clack of fulfillment,\u201d and \u201cbetter job prospects outside the Army.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OCS Reasons for Leaving the Army<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
One of multiple findings from a survey conducted by Capt. Lindsay Gabow on why junior officers are leaving the Army. (Jacki Belker\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Discussion<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results demonstrate that while outgoing junior officers consider family concerns, other issues matter equally or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

West Point officers cited civilian job prospects more often than their ROTC and OCS counterparts. Known for its robust alumni network, the school positions its graduates well to succeed beyond the Army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, poor leadership motivated OCS-commissioned officers more than any other population surveyed. Of note, prior-enlisted respondents \u2013 representing all three major commissioning sources \u2013 also mentioned poor leadership most. These officers were once soldiers. Presumably empathetic, the prior-enlisted officer is perhaps quickest to identify the battalion commander who does not care about the Joes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results make a strong case for leadership as a decisive variable in junior officers\u2019 decision to leave the Army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While more than half of respondents named \u201cpoor leadership\u201d as a distinct reason for leaving, many also selected leadership correlates. Comments often directly associated leadership with \u201clack of autonomy\/control,\u201d and \u201clack of fulfillment,\u201d the most cited and fifth-most cited reason, respectively. Respondents also related less cited reasons to leadership, like \u201cdisagreements with the evaluation\/promotion system\u201d and \u201clow\/declining standards.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When describing their specific leadership concerns on the last question, whether as a distinct reason or correlated with another reason, respondents repeatedly mentioned sycophancy and toxicity. Frequent words included: \u201cyes-man,\u201d \u201ctoxic,\u201d and variations of \u201chypocrisy\u201d and \u201cuncaring.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clearly, the desire for freedom lures many junior officers away from the Army. But a closely matched impetus is poor leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommendations<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, I offer two explanations for the disparity between my results and the career engagement survey, along with potential remedies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whereas I specifically surveyed junior officers who left the Army or planned to do so, the career engagement survey targeted all active-duty servicemembers. Including such a broad population likely skewed its results. To accurately determine the top reasons for leaving the Army, the career engagement survey should have only considered servicemembers planning to leave. Additionally, for more precision, future DACES should report results by paygrade<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relatedly, the career engagement survey likely faced a selection bias. Many people avoid voluntary tasks, especially when seemingly onerous. 89.1% of those invited to complete the career engagement survey ignored the 80-question survey. By reducing its questions, the career engagement survey could encourage participation in skeptical circles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second explanation concerns question wording. Out of nearly 80 questions, two mention leadership: \u201cBrigade Commander or higher leaders\u2019 handling of concerns about discrimination,\u201d and \u201cThe mentorship I receive from my unit or organizational leadership.\u201d An additional two mention \u201cchain of command\u201d: \u201cTechnical or tactical competence of my current chain of command,\u201d and \u201cSupportiveness of my current chain of command.\u201d These questions only partly or indirectly address leadership. Future career engagement surveys should approach leadership more comprehensively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the career engagement survey does not treat anticipated civilian employment opportunities as a reason to stay in or leave the Army. Instead, the study discusses civilian employment in an entirely separate section. This approach is flawed. The career engagement survey should assess civilian employment opportunities on the same five-point scale as it does the other questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army should recognize that civilian employment prospects lure many junior officers away from the profession. Senior leaders can contend with civilian employers. While the military may not realistically compete with corporate America\u2019s salaries, leaders can address other facets of job satisfaction. For many officers vacating the Army for the private sector, organizational climate and career fulfillment matter more than money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hearing from hundreds of insightful, compassionate current and former junior offers, I witnessed firsthand the acute loss the Army is facing. Numerous respondents would have been great battalion and brigade commanders, perhaps even general officers. The Army could have retained many of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A toxic battalion commander does not simply jeopardize his unit during his tenure. He imperils the future of the entire organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army can fix its leadership problem. But it must first acknowledge that it has one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lindsay Gabow is an active-duty U.S. Army captain stationed at Fort Bragg. Her commentary reflects her own opinions and research and does not purport to speak in any official capacity for the U.S. Army. She is in the process of transitioning out of the Army to attend law school. For questions or comments about her survey, please feel free to reach out to her on LinkedIn or via email at <\/i>lindsaygabow13@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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