Analysis of CIVMAR Attrition and the Role of Shore Leave

In the past few years, Military Sealift Command (MSC) leadership has discussed with its civilian mariners (CIVMARs) the idea of increasing shore leave. CNA was asked first to analyze the existence and extent of an MSC attrition problem, and second to analyze the relationship between shore leave and attrition. In the first portion of the study, our analysis did not yield convincing evidence of a significant attrition problem. There has been no upward trend in the attrition rate, and there has been no drop in the experience level of CIVMARs. Accordingly, MSC decided not to pursue an increase in shore leave at this time. In the second portion of the study, we found a negative correlation between shore leave balances and attrition. We found that those mariners who attrite typically have lower shore leave balances, and those that stay typically have higher shore leave balances. Based on CNA’s previous analysis of CIVMAR attrition we conclude that increasing shore leave would reduce attrition, given that shore leave is a form of compensation and the relationship between compensation and attrition is negative. However, the magnitude of the effect appears to be quite small.