2003 IMTA Proceedings - International Military Testing Association

Respondents were divided in their reports of the effect of the overall mobilization
experience on their career decisions, with 42% reporting their experience as an influence to stay
and 38% reporting it as an influence to leave (Fig. 3). The mobilization assignment received was
reported as an influence to stay by 43% of the respondents. Reports on aspects such as time
given to report to new command, the manner in which Reservists were notified about
mobilization and the time needed to get correct orders indicated that for a majority of
respondents, these issues had no strong influence on the decision to stay or the decision to leave
the Naval Reserves.
Overall mob
experience
Mob assignment
you received
Time given to
report
Manner notified
Time get correct
orders
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Influence to leave
No Effect
Influence to stay
Figure 3. Mobilization Process Questions: Influences to Stay and Leave the Reserves
Family Related Issues
A final area on which to examine the effects of mobilization in terms of influencing
Reservists to stay or leave the organization is that of family related issues. 68% of respondents
indicated that they are married, and almost 60% of respondents reported that there are children
living in their household. A majority of respondents said that they saw their families once a
month or less. For the majority of respondents, benefits such as family use of the commissary,
the exchange, and Tricare indicated no effect or served as influences to stay in the Naval
Reserves. More than half of the Reservists who responded indicated that having to leave their
families for mobilization and the inability to move their families were influences for them to
leave the organization. Also, the fact that the family shows concern for the Reservists’ safety was
an influence to leave for approximately 43% of the respondents. Other influences to leave were
the effects of mobilization on children, as well as the additional stress that mobilization causes
for spouses (Fig. 4).
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45 th Annual Conference of the International Military Testing Association
Pensacola, Florida, 3-6 November 2003