Averting the Train Wreck of Captain Attrition - A Leadership Solution

摘要

A whole host of factors have come together in the past few years to cause young Army officers to question the attractiveness of military service. The cultural effects of the drawdown, doing more with less, political correctness, eroding benefits, and a booming economy are but some of the causes of rising dissatisfaction with military life. Many of the factors contributing to officer attrition are out of the control of the Army. However, there are internal measures the Army can take to help reduce unsustainably high officer loss rates. This paper looks at officer attrition in the context of a leadership challenge - it examines current perceived problems in leadership culture and command climate and recommends several changes focused on improving morale and retention of young officers.