DTIC ADA444216: Department of Defense Youth Poll Wave 9 - June 2005. Overview Report

3.7 MB·English

by  Defense Technical Information Center

OVERVIEW REPORT JUNE 2005
2 0 05
Youth Poll
Report

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REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved
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PLEASE DO NOTRETURNYOUR FORMTOTHE ABOVE ORGANIZATION.
1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (From - To)
XX-01-2006 Final overview April-June2005
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER
Youth Poll Report June 2005 DASW01-02-D-0002
5b. GRANT NUMBER
5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER
6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER
Emanuel,S.,Marsh,S.M.,Marsh,K.,Boehmer,M.andZucker,A.
5e. TASK NUMBER
5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER
7. PERFORMINGORGANIZATIONNAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION
REPORT NUMBER
Joint Advertising, Research and Studies,
Defense Human Resources Activity,
4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 200
Arlington, VA 22203-1613
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Joint Advertising, Research and Studies,
Defense Human Resources Activity,
4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 200 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S REPORT
Arlington, VA 22203-1613 NUMBER(S)
2006-001
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Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
14. ABSTRACT
TheDepartmentofDefense(DoD)conductsYouthPollstwiceayeartomeasureyouth’sperceptionsofthemilitaryandpropensity
toenlistinthemilitary.ThisreportdetailsthefindingsoftheJune2005YouthPoll.
Theprimaryfocusofthepollwastomeasurethelikelihoodofyouthages16-21tojointhemilitaryandtoidentifythesourcesof
informationthatinfluencetheirdecisions.Inaddition,thisYouthPollmeasuredyouth’sfavorabilityandknowledgeofthemilitary,
theirsourcesofimpressionsofthemilitary,andhowinfluentialeachsourceisonayouth'slikelihoodtojointhemilitary.
15. SUBJECT TERMS
Youth,Propensity,Recruiting
16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATIONOF: 17. LIMITATION OF 18. NUMBER 19a. NAME OFRESPONSIBLEPERSON
a. REPORT b. ABSTRACT c. THIS PAGE ABSTRACT OF Andrea Zucker
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JAMRS Report No. 2006-001
January 2006

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
YOUTH POLL WAVE 9 – JUNE 2005

OVERVIEW REPORT

Stacy Emanuel, Sean M. Marsh, and Kara Marsh
Fors Marsh Group

Matt Boehmer and Andrea Zucker
Defense Human Resource Activity

Department of Defense
Defense Human Resources Activity
Joint Advertising, Market Research and Studies
4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22203-1613
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The work that was done to collect this information and produce this report was the result of a
collaboration of efforts between DHRA, Fors Marsh Group, and HumRRO. The authors would
like to thank the many youth who shared their time and opinions with us.
Executive Summary
Executive Summary

The Department of Defense (DoD) conducts watched. Overall, Black propensity has gone
Youth Polls twice a year to measure youths’ up, but this is mainly being driven by Black
perceptions of the Military and propensity to females.
enlist in the Military. This report details the
findings of the June 2005 Youth Poll. Youths’ consideration of the Military has
remained stable from six months ago.
The primary focus of the poll was to Currently, 32% of youth say they have never
measure the likelihood of youth ages 16-21 considered the possibility of joining the
to join the Military and to identify the Military. This number has significantly
sources of information that influence their increased since May 2004.
decisions. In addition, this Youth Poll
measured youths’ favorability toward and Current events continue to take a toll on
knowledge of the Military, their sources of youths’ attitudes toward the Military
impressions of the Military, and how U.S. Military action in Iraq continues to
influential each source is on a youths’ have a negative impact on youths’ decision
likelihood to join the Military. to join the Military. Over half (62%) report
being less likely to join because of the
Overall, propensity has remained stable; situation in Iraq. Black, Hispanic, and
minority propensity continues to be female youth reported being more
troubling negatively affected than any other group.
Overall, youths’ propensity to serve on
active duty in each of the individual In addition, Black youth are the least
Branches remained stable since last supportive of U.S. troops’ presence in Iraq,
measured in November 2004. Male the least likely to feel the war was justified,
propensity for each racial/ethnic group has the most disapproving of the Bush
also remained stable over the last six Administration’s handling of foreign affairs,
months. Although Black male propensity and its use of U.S. Military forces.
has remained stable, it is still at an all time
low; Black male propensity is lower than After examining trend line data, evidence
either Hispanic or White male propensity. suggests these negative perceptions have
This is most attributable to the continued been slowly emerging since the beginning of
decline of Blacks’ opinions about recent military operations in November 2001.
military actions. In addition to mounting Between November 2001 and November
attitudinal problems among Blacks, 2002, favorability toward the U.S. Military
Hispanics are also starting to waver in their significantly dropped for all youth.
opinions of the Military. This is already Following the initial drop, White and
starting to affect propensity and should be Hispanic favorability stabilized at new,
monitored closely. albeit lower, levels. Black favorability
continued to decline and was at an all time
Hispanic youth reported the highest level of low 6 months ago. Since then it has started
propensity, but this number is down to rebound. However, it remains
significantly from the May 2004 poll. This significantly lower than White or Hispanic
decline is cause for concern and should be favorability.
Page i Department of Defense June 2005 Youth Poll
Executive Summary
Executive Summary

Youth economic outlook improving
Youth continue to report that they feel the Sources of Military Impressions
labor market is somewhat poor. The In forming impressions about the Military,
majority of respondents predict that in 4 youth rely on the other people in their lives
years the economy will be better (32%) or more than any other source. Specifically,
will be about the same (35%) as it is today. respondents mentioned family members,
Those more likely to believe it will be better friends, recruiters, teachers, counselors, and
include men and White youth. Additionally, coaches as important influencers.
46% of youth ages 16-21 report that it is
only somewhat difficult for someone their By race/ethnicity, Whites were significantly
age to find a full-time job in their more likely to mention people, in particular
community, and 21% think it is not difficult fathers and grandparents. Black youth were
at all. However, youth propensed for Active significantly less likely to mention friends of
Duty or a Reserve Component and Black the same generation.
youth are more likely to report difficulty.
Finally, six in 10 youth believe that it is People reported as being the most influential
equally likely for an individual to find a for youths’ impressions of the Military had
good-paying job in either the Military or served in the Military at some point (77%).
civilian sector. Those propensed for Active Therefore it is reassuring that 57% of these
Duty or a Reserve Component are more people gave youth a mostly or completely
likely to hold this belief. positive view of the Military. A large
number of youth reported that these people
Recruiters had a positive effect on their likelihood to
Only 55% of youth report they have spoken join the Military (40%).
with a military recruiter, down significantly
from six months ago. The primary mode of Television was also mentioned as an
initial contact with a recruiter was through a important source of impressions. Thirty-
group meeting. Of the youth that have never three percent of youth got their impressions
spoken to a recruiter, the majority of youth from various television programs. However,
(40%) say it is because they have never been these programs did not portray the Military
approached by a recruiter. Lastly, when as positively as people did. Only 33% of
asked whether it was a good idea for a friend youth said that television programs gave
to talk to a recruiter, 40% said it would be a them a mostly or completely favorable
good idea and half (51%) said it would be impression of the Military, and only 19% of
up to his or her friend. Black youth were youth reported that television positively
significantly more likely than White or affected their likelihood to join the Military.
Hispanic youth to report that they would tell
their friend that talking with a recruiter is “a
waste of time.”

Page ii Department of Defense June 2005 Youth Poll
Table of Contents June 2005 Youth Poll

Table of Contents

Section 1. Introduction
Background and Purpose............................................................................1-1
Approach......................................................................................................1-2
Methodology.................................................................................................1-4
Respondent Profile.......................................................................................1-5

Section 2. Future Plans and Propensity
Future Plans and Propensity......................................................................2-1
Future Plans: Overview..............................................................................2-2
Future Plans: Education.............................................................................2-3
Future Plans: Employment.........................................................................2-5
Future Plans: Military.................................................................................2-8
Summary......................................................................................................2-10

Section 3. Attitudes Towards the U.S. Military and Sources of Military
Impressions
Attitudes Toward the U.S. Military...........................................................3-1
Favorability..................................................................................................3-2
Knowledge....................................................................................................3-3
Current Events.............................................................................................3-4
Recruiters.....................................................................................................3-5
Sources of Impressions................................................................................3-6
Summary......................................................................................................3-10

Section 4. Service and Component Propensity
Unaided Propensity.....................................................................................4-1
Aided Propensity: Active Duty...................................................................4-3
Aided Propensity: Reserve and National Guard......................................4-5
U.S. Army Favorability and Propensity....................................................4-6
U.S. Navy Favorability and Propensity.....................................................4-7
U.S. Marine Corps Favorability and Propensity......................................4-8
U.S. Air Force Favorability and Propensity..............................................4-9
U.S. Coast Guard Favorability and Propensity........................................4-10
U.S. Reserves Favorability and Propensity...............................................4-11
U.S. National Guard Favorability and Propensity...................................4-12
Summary......................................................................................................4-13

Page iii Department of Defense June 2005 Youth Poll
Table of Contents June 2005 Youth Poll

Table of Contents
(continued)

Section 5. Summary and Conclusions
Summary and Conclusions.........................................................................5-1

Appendices
Appendix A: Detailed Crosstabs................................................................A-1
Appendix B: Methodology Report.............................................................B-1
Appendix C: Final Questionnaire..............................................................C-1

Page iv Department of Defense June 2005 Youth Poll
The primary goal of the youth poll is to
provide regular tracking of propensity -
OVERVIEW REPORT
the likelihood that youth will join the military.
Section One covers the approach and methodology
used in the June 2005 poll to track propensity.
Section 1
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