Research for Officers

The Navy Surgeon General has asked CNA to evaluate physicians' job satisfaction and retention within the existing climate to determine if major issues exist. The scope of the study was expanded to include a comparative analysis of compensation for Navy physicians continuing a military career versus leaving for a private-sector track. We find that a substantial current compensation gap exists between military and private-sector physicians, particularly at the end of the 7-year career point, and the disparity in total compensation varies widely by medical specialty. Our finds show, however, that as Navy physicians accrue more military service, it becomes more lucrative for them to complete 20 years, retire, and then pursue a private career. This information memorandum documents the results of these compensation comparisons.

Recent controversy over lower rates of minority success in Officer Candidate School (OCS), The Basic School (TBS), and early promotions highlights the need to learn the underlying issues, problems, and mechanisms. In 1992, the Marine Corps began to examine the relatively poor outcomes of minority officers early in their careers. It had observed, for example, that a larger proportion of minorities than whites failed to complete the initial pre-commissioning course at OCS. Efforts to understand this gap continue. The Marines convened a Quality Management Board (QMB) at Quantico to investigate the issue. The QMB commissioned CNA to conduct analyses to determine measurable factors that might explain outcome differences. Although the differential outcomes were reduced, a gap continued to exist even among groups of otherwise equally well qualified individuals. While the Marine Corps has taken positive actions, which seem to be paying off, USMC and CNA efforts continue to understand the gaps. On December 17, 1993, CNA held a conference to probe this topic from many different perspectives.

The Marine Corps recruits and screens about 2,000 officer candidates annually. Recruiting minority candidates who meet its stringent standards, however, is not easy. Recruiting qualified minorities is especially difficult because of stiff competition from other services, industry, government, and the academic arena. Consider these statistics: (1) of male college graduates in 1990-1991, five percent were African-Americans, and three percent were Hispanics; (2) only two percent of males with Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores meeting USMC standards were African-American, and four percent Hispanic. It is clear that the Marine Corps must recruit more than a proportionate share of the qualified minority pool. Can the Marine Corps improve the way it allocates recruiting goals and resources to take advantage of regional variations in race/ethnicity. Headquarters Marine Corps asked CNA to help with this problem as part of its study of Successful Recruiting and Training of Marine Corps Officers. In this study, we also explored the relationship between officer candidate characteristics and success in Officer Candidate School, commissioning, and The Basic School. In addition, we looked at officer characteristics and promotions to captain and major.

This paper examines the curriculum of the Naval War College, focusing on adapting the current three-course program to provide a more appropriate education for the officers looking to meet the nation's needs through the tumultuous decade ahead.