The propensity of junior enlisted personnel to remain in today's military

This study examines the effects of both economic and noneconomic factors on the propensity of junior enlisted (El-E4) personnel to remain in the military, using data from the Armed Forces 1996 Equal Opportunity Survey. Among the findings: (1) years of service, job satisfaction (as a whole), and pride in service are all highly correlated with self-reports of respondents' likelihood of remaining in service; (2) among junior enlisted personnel, African-American men are more inclined to remain in the military than are men and women of other subgroups; and (3) while satisfaction with pay benefits has a significant positive effect on the likelihood that respondents will stay in the military, pride in service is more robust.