Level-Loading of Enlisted Accessions

Targeted enlistment bonuses in the Nuclear Field have helped achieve a more level flow of accessions into training facilities. For most ratings, the accession profile is disproportionately concentrated in the summer months. This helps the Navy aggressively recruit high school seniors, but requires a large training infrastructure to accommodate the large number of recruits in the summer. This study estimates the relationship between enlistment bonuses and the ability of the Nuclear Field to level-load accessions and calculates the cost to the Navy of level-loading other ratings. Our analysis confirms that enlistment bonuses are effective in convincing Nuclear Field recruits to ship in off-peak months. If other recruits respond to pay in the same way, the Navy could level-load other ratings with a more aggressive application of targeted bonuses. In contrast, economic conditions have a small effect on the ability to level-load accessions. Using bonuses to level-load accessions requires a large pool of high school seniors. Given constraints on time in the Delayed Entry Program, success depends on the number that enter the DEP relatively late in their senior years. Second, level-loading accessions will increase attrition if the Navy increases the amount of time recruits expect to spend in the DEP.