2003 IMTA Proceedings - International Military Testing Association

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1. A reliable response to the questions in the morale questionnaire is promoted by the
anonymity and confidentiality guaranteed by the researcher. If that anonymity is not
guaranteed this may lead to biased responses.
2. Commitment from the respondents.
3. The results are geared to (adjusting) steering of the unit along the line of command, i.e.
the team commander.
4. The point of the first measurement is determined by the point in time in which the unit is
complete and trained for deployment and aware of the assignment.
5. The instrument aims to make a ‘photo’ of a unit with respect to morale aspects; it is not
meant to be an instrument of judgement, but one of improvement; it concerns a mutual
agreement between the researchers and the team leadership to achieve that improvement.
RESULTS/ EXPERIENCE
Our experiences derive from several surveys that have been conducted. The DMQ has been
used to measure morale within combat, support and logistic units. The measurement takes
approximately seven working days from issuing the questionnaires to the respondents up to
and including discussion of the results with the team commander. So far the survey has been
conducted in various units in different environments. For example, in 1990 a survey was
started about the situation at the barracks, and subsequently among the Special Forces, IFOR
and SFOR (6,7,8). Only the latter surveys encompass measurements prior to, during and after
the operation in the barracks situation and under operational conditions. In 2003 a tailor made
moral questionnaire is designed on behalf of the Airmobile Brigade because of their high
readiness state. In this way the brigadier is informed about the morale state of his companies
and is able to send units on missions only when their moral state is sufficient. In 2004 the
moral questionnaire will be used with the Dutch stabilization forces in Iraq (SFIR).
Advantages and disadvantages of the DMQ
The following advantages of the instrument can be seen from the surveys.
a) The instrument provides insight into the quality of personnel within the team at
operational level in specific and measurable terms with respect to morale and indicates
(predicts) an increased or decreased risk of dropouts using the morale indicator.
b) The team commander receives a clear overview of the morale aspects. The survey offers
insight into the relevant personnel variables in relation to deployment and combat
readiness. The information is used for a strengths and weaknesses analysis of the team and
as advice for improving aspects. The use of a morale instrument at unit level enables team
commanders to gain insight into the state of affairs concerning the influencing factors of
morale. On the basis of this survey and the corresponding advice, specific measures to
improve morale can be implemented.
c) The analysis is not complicated and provides a structural and systematic overview of
morale aspects and contains a great deal of information on the situation before, during and
after the mission
d) Conducting the survey and the (brief) report take little time.
e) The response is very high (80-90%).
The following disadvantages or points of attention were noted.
a) The results of the measurements can be viewed as threatening or painful by the
(leadership of the) unit. This is certainly true of information on leadership, cohesion and
trust. Even though the report is not meant to be a judging instrument, team commanders
might use it that way. The researchers therefore must emphasize this misunderstanding
45 th Annual Conference of the International Military Testing Association
Pensacola, Florida, 3-6 November 2003