兰德-Examination-of-Recent-Deployment-Experience-Across-the-Services-and-Components_12页_896kb

Summary of Deployment Experience Across the Services and Components

Core Content

This report examines the deployment experience of U.S. military personnel from 9/11 through September 2015, analyzing the distribution of deployments across the services and components, and exploring how the Army retains this experience.

Key Findings

• Total Deployments: Between 9/11 and September 2015, 2.77 million service members served on over 5.4 million deployments.
• Deployment Experience by Service:
  • The Army provided the majority of the deployments, contributing approximately 1.8 million troop-years.
  • The average deployment length varied by service, with the Regular Army having the longest deployments (about 12 months), while other services had shorter durations (5–7 months).
  • The Selected Reserve (SELRES) retains a portion of the Army's deployment experience, with about one-quarter of its total deployment time coming from Regular Army service.
• Deployment Experience by Component:
  • The Regular Army accounted for 71% of the Army's deployed troop-years, while the Army National Guard (ARNG) and U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) contributed 20% and 9%, respectively.
• Demographics of Deployed Personnel:
  • About 57% of deployed personnel were married, and nearly half had children.
  • The average age of deployed personnel was around 29 years.
  • Enlisted personnel made up the majority (about 86%) of those who deployed, with a smaller proportion of women (about 10%).
• Retention of Deployment Experience:
  • Soldiers with at least three deployments (intensive deployment experience) were more likely to remain in the Army.
  • Approximately 230,000 soldiers completed three or more deployments during this period, and they account for nearly half of the deployment experience retained in the Army.
  • The Army retains about 60% of these highly deployed soldiers, with 45% in the Regular Army and 15% in the SELRES.
  • Deployment experience from the Regular Army is retained in the SELRES, although only about 5% of the total time deployed in the Regular Army is now in the SELRES.

Main Points

• Impact of Deployments: Deployments have been linked to both positive and negative outcomes for service members and their families, including physical and mental health, postdeployment earnings, and marital and child well-being.
• Variation in Deployment Experience: The same amount of total deployment time can have different impacts depending on how it is accumulated, and individual resilience to deployments varies.
• Role of Selected Reserve: The SELRES plays a significant role in retaining deployment experience, particularly from former Regular Army soldiers, which is expected to become more important as deployment levels decline.

Conclusion

• The Army has been the primary contributor to deployments, with a large proportion of its personnel leaving the service after deployment.
• Soldiers with multiple deployments are more likely to remain in the Army, and their experience is critical for maintaining operational readiness and knowledge.
• The SELRES is an important avenue for retaining deployment experience, especially as the number of deployments decreases.
• Tracking both the number of deployments and the total time deployed is essential for managing the effects of deployment experience on service members and their families.

Key Statistics

• Total Deployments: 5.4 million
• Total Service Members Deployed: 2.77 million
• Total Troop-Years Deployed: 3.1 million
• Army's Contribution to Troop-Years: 1.8 million (58% of total)
• Highly Deployed Soldiers (≥3 deployments): 230,000
• Retention Rate of Highly Deployed Soldiers in Army: ~60%
• Retention in SELRES: 15% of highly deployed soldiers
• Deployment Experience in SELRES: About 25% of the SELRES's total deployment experience comes from former Regular Army soldiers

Recommendations

• Track Deployment Experience: Carefully track both the number of deployments and the total time deployed to manage the impact on service members and families.
• Focus on Intensive Deployers: Allocate resources and support to soldiers with intensive deployment experience, as they are more resilient and retain significant operational knowledge.
• Enhance Knowledge Transfer: Seek ways to transfer knowledge and skills from deployed personnel to the broader military community before they leave service.