Research for Officer Off-On Ramps

This study is part of an analysis of lateral entry as a personnel management tool for Navy enlisted personnel and officers. For officers, a critical personnel management challenge is that retention rates for women are substantially lower than those for men, particularly in the unrestricted line (URL) communities. Traditional retention tools, such as continuation bonuses, do not appear to be closing the gap in the male/female retention rates. Likewise, the observable characteristics that affect female stay/leave decisions do not translate into feasible accession or retention policies. However, survey and focus group results for both male and female officers suggest that taking time away from the active duty career to achieve a better work/life balance could help retention so long as career progression is not hindered. These breaks in service, called off-on ramps, could help achieve a better work/life balance and improve retention, although some laws and traditions must be modified to accommodate the off-on ramps. We reviewed the male/female retention rate differences in the Surface Warfare, Judge Advocate General, and Meteorology/Oceanography communities. Although the retention patterns are different across the communities, and community leaders cite different management challenges, we find that all three communities could benefit from off-on ramp programs.