Determinants of Military Adjustment and Attrition During - TamPub

313 Pages·2008·6.43 MB·English

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Determinants of Military
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ISBN 978-951-25-1926-2
ISSN 1237-3680
National Defence University www.mpkk.fi
Department of Education
Department Publication Series 2
P.O. Box 7, 00861 Helsinki
Suomi Finland of Education Reserch Reports No 21
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UNIVERSITY OF TAMPERE – TAMPEREEN YLIOPISTO
Faculty of Education – Kasvatustieteiden tiedekunta
Determinants of Military Adjustment and
Attrition During Finnish Conscript Service
Mikael Salo
NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY – MAANPUOLUSTUSKORKEAKOULU
Department of Education – Koulutustaidon laitos
PUBLICATION SERIES 2 – JULKAISUSARJA 2
RESEARCH REPORTS No 21 – TUTKIMUKSIA No 21
HELSINKI 2008
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ACADEMIC DISSERTATION
University of Tampere
Faculty of Education
Department of Teacher Education
Finland
Supervised by
Professor Eero Ropo
University of Tampere
Finland
Reviewed by
Professor Jorma Enkenberg
University of Joensuu
Finland
Docent Bo Talerud
Swedish National Defence College (Försvarshögskolan)
Sweden
Layout by Heidi Paananen, Continuing Training and Development Center, FNDU
Copyright © Mikael Salo
Published by Edita Prima Oy, Helsinki 2008
Electronic dissertation:
Acta Electronica Universitatis Tamperensis 770
ISBN 978–951–44–7470–5 (pdf)
ISSN1456–954X
http://acta.uta.fi
Printed dissertation
ISBN 978–951–25–1926–2
ISBN 978–951–25–1927–9 (pdf)
ISSN1237–3680
Edita Prima Oy
Helsinki 2008
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“That when the sea was calm all boats alike
Showed mastership in floating”
(Shakespeare, 1623/1966, p. 145);
“Only in a storm were they obliged to cope”
(White, 1974, p. 48).
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ABSTRACT
Adjustment to the military is determined by two main factors: the situational and
organizational experiences of the new service member (the environment) and the member’s
characteristics and background (personal features). In the Finnish conscript service,
an aggregate of diverse individuals is socialized into the military. Most of the conscript
population adjusts to this process, but a portion of the conscripts fails to adjust and their
service is terminated prematurely. The study looks at how well conscripts are expected to
adjust to the military, how well they actually do adjust to basic training and later service,
and how the adjustment changes over the service period. In addition, the research examines
why some conscripts fail to fulfill their military obligation, resulting in military turnover
(i.e. attrition).
The data were collected with Finnish-language questionnaires from 2,003 conscripts
immediately after reporting for duty, at the end of basic training, and at the end of the
conscript service. Information was obtained on a number of background variables, the
trainees’ attitudes towards various topics, and their experiences. Interviews were utilized to
verify that the measures covered relevant aspects of the military adjustment process. The
adjustment-related measures were refined by factor and Bayesian analyses and reliability
tests.
The results show that numerous background variables are related to differences in
adjustment perceptions and attitudes toward military experiences. Four main dimensions of
adjustment were found: affective commitment, sociability, physical health, and perceptions
about obedience and regimentation. Together they explained 50% of the variance of
adjustment expectations at time 1, 58% of basic training adjustment at time 2, and 61%
of later adjustment at time 3. In structural equation models, 56% of the later adjustment
experiences were explained by the four dimensions. Most attrition (i.e. separation from
service) occurred during the first two weeks, and most of the later attrition during the first
8 weeks of service. In all, 211 (10.5%) of the 2,003 conscripts were dropped from military
service. A series of logistic regression and discriminant function analyses were carried out to
explain the differences between the attrition group and those who completed their military
service. Attrition was best predicted by the conscript’s intent to stay or quit, education level
and schooling experiences, expected adjustment, criminal background, physical health, the
quality of civilian relationships, and attitudes towards military service.
Overall, the research extends previous research by considering a wider set of predictors
over time, and allowing generalization of the findings about military adjustment through
the use of a non-U.S. conscript sample. Alternative approaches, policy interventions, and
adjustment-related considerations for instructors and service members are suggested.
Keywords:
Military, socialization, adjustment, attrition, turnover, commitment, sociability
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TIIVISTELMÄ
Varusmiehen sopeutumiskokemuksia ennustavat sekä tilanne- ja organisaatiokohtaiset
kokemukset että henkilökohtaiset luonteenpiirteet, taustahistoria ja palvelusta edeltävät
kokemukset. Varusmiespalveluksessa lähes koko miesten ikäluokka aluksi totutetaan
toimimaan sotilasyhteisössä ja sosiaalistetaan joukon osaksi, minkä jälkeen varusmiehet
koulutetaan yksilön toimintakyvyn ja joukon suorituskyvyn kehittämiseksi. Pääosa
varusmiehistä sopeutuu tähän prosessiin, mutta pieni osa keskeyttää palveluksensa
ennenaikaisesti pääosin juuri sopeutumisvaikeuksien takia. Tässä tutkimuksessa määritetään
sopeutumisprosessin päätekijät sekä organisaation että yksilön osalta; tarkastelee sopeutumisen
seurauksia; tutkii, mikä selittää sopeutumisen ennakko-odotuksia, peruskoulutuskauden
sopeutumista ja palvelusajan lopun sopeutumista sekä palveluksen keskeyttämistä; sekä
määrittää varusmiespalveluksen keskeisimmät sopeutumistekijät.
Aineistona on 2003 varusmiehestä, jotka astuivat palvelukseen vuonna 2001. Sopeutumisen
tuntoja kyseltiin palvelukseen astumisen yhteydessä, peruskoulutuskauden lopulla sekä
palveluksen lopulla. Kyselyt yhdistävät kotimaisessa ja kansainvälisessä kirjallisuudessa
esitetyt mittarit monipuoliseksi kokonaisuudeksi. Lisäksi kyselyitä täydennettiin siviili- ja
sotilasarkistoista kerätyillä taustatiedoilla ja varusmiespalveluksen onnistumista kuvaavilla
tunnusluvuilla. Tutkimuksessa käytetyt muuttujat ja mittarit valittiin aikaisemman
kirjallisuuden sekä täydentävien haastattelujen perusteella. Lisäksi mittarien luotettavuus
arvioitiin faktorianalyysien, Bayesian muuttujamallien ja reliabiliteettitestien avulla.
Tulokset osoittavat, että lähes kaikki kerätyt taustamuuttujat olivat yhteydessä
varusmiespalvelukseen sopeutumiseen, vaikka vain muutama henkilön luonnetta,
kykyjä, sosiaalisia suhteita ja asenteita kuvannut muuttuja säilytti asemansa itsenäisenä
selittäjänä monimuuttuja-analyyseissä. Sen sijaan neljä tärkeintä sopeutumisen osa-aluetta
selittivät johdonmukaisesti yli puolet sopeutumiskokemuksista eri tarkasteluajankohtina.
Nämä keskeiset komponentit ovat sitoutuminen varusmiespalvelukseen kohtaan,
sopeutuminen sosiaalisiin suhteisiin, sopeutuminen fyysiseen rasitukseen sekä
sopeutuminen käskyvaltasuhteisiin. Keskeyttämistä selitti parhaiten henkilön palveluksen
keskeyttämispohdiskelu, koulutustaso, koulukokemukset, sopeutumisen ennakko-
odotukset, rikostausta, fyysinen kunto, seurustelusuhteen laatu sekä oma ja kavereiden asenne
varusmiespalvelusta kohtaan. Tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin sopeutumisen kokonaiskuvaa
ongelmista menestykseen. Samalla siinä yhdistettiin kirjallisuuden yksittäiset tekijät toisiinsa
ja testattiin niiden toimivuus suomalaisessa aineistossa. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa esiteltiin
lukuisia teoreettisia ja käytännöllisiä suosituksia tulevaa varten.
Avainsanat:
Sotilaat, sosialisaatio, sopeutuminen, palveluksen keskeyttäminen, sitoutuminen, sosiaalisuus
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research project turned out to be a long, captivating adventure challenging the author
and offering a unique opportunity to explore various fields of study, acquire new skills, and
broaden the understanding of the relation between conceptual and practical knowledge. As
a matter of fact, this ended up being a time in my life when it was truly possible to focus
on the exploration process rather than merely concentrate on the end product. However,
reaching this end state of the process is fortunate indeed, and I am deeply privileged to be
able to thank several people and organizations for their contribution without which none of
this would have been possible.
As for the inspiration for this study, the thematic choice of this thesis heavily draws from my
first work experiences as a trainer in the Armored Brigade and the studies I had carried out
prior to graduation. Furthermore, the instrumental motivator of this project was Professor
Jarmo Toiskallio who guided me to start my post-graduate studies in the Faculty of Education
at the University of Tampere in 2000. He, moreover, remained an important mentor in this
project over the years. In practical terms, the overall design for the study was drafted after
my meeting with Professor Eero Ropo, who became my scientific supervisor. In addition,
substantial guidance and expert advice for covering and verbalizing the relevant concepts
in the existing previous studies stemmed from the meetings with Navy Captain (Med.),
Doctor, Kai Parkkola and his colleague, Docent Markus Henriksson (Central Military
Hospital). Their invaluable comments and critique were of use especially when taking into
account the medical aspects of the adjustment process in question. The beginning stage
of the research project was also supported by scientists of the Department of Behavioural
Sciences of the Finnish National Defence University in Tuusula. In particular, Licentiate in
Political Sciences Olli Harinen and Research Secretary Pirjo Horsma gave priceless advice
for planning the research design and creating the questionnaires. Thus, I want to express my
most sincere gratitude to these specialists who helped in forming a solid foundation for this
project and worked with me throughout the process.
When it comes to implementing the research plan and collecting and analyzing the data, it was
the research grant awarded by the Scientific Advisory Board for Defence (Maanpuolustuksen
Tieteellinen Neuvottelukunta, MATINE) that enabled gathering the longitudinal data
during 2001–2002. Moreover, the practical, impeccable support from the Commanders of
the Armored Brigade, first, Colonel Timo Suutarinen, and then, Brigadier General Kyösti
Halonen, made it possible to carry out the data collection procedures. Equally, the excellent
attitude and helpfulness of Company Commanders and other officers facilitated the
execution of the surveys. Similarly, the medics at the Brigade’s military hospital significantly
helped in the interpretation and categorization of over 2,000 soldiers’ medical history.
Additionally, conscripts serving as Platoon Leaders in the Brigade had a decisive role in how
they conducted the last round of data collection at the end of service for their given cohort.
In fact, the officers and conscripts who participated in the interviews and provided details
about their adjustment process and experiences significantly influenced the quantitative part
of the research. And, obviously, I am very grateful for each and everyone of the over 2,000
conscripts who meticulously filled out the detailed questionnaires. Moreover, in this initial
stage of data collecting, the assistance of Master of Political Science Heidi Berger was indeed