Improving demographic diversity in the U.S. Air Force officer corps / Nelson Lim, Louis T. Mariano, Amy G. Cox, David Schulker, Lawrence M. Hanser
- Author:
- Lim, Nelson
- Published:
- Santa Monica, CA : Rand Corporation, [2014]
- Copyright Date:
- ©2014
- Physical Description:
- xx, 70 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 28 cm
- Additional Creators:
- Mariano, Louis T.
Cox, Amy G.
Schulker, David
Hanser, Lawrence M.
Rand Corporation
Project Air Force (U.S.)
United States. Air Force - Access Online:
- www.rand.org
- Contents:
- Machine generated contents note: 1.Introduction -- Motivation for This Study -- Snapshot of Racial/Ethnic and Gender Diversity -- Potential Factors Shaping Senior Leader Diversity -- Conceptual Framework -- 2.Constructing Population Benchmarks for Air Force Line Officers -- Constructing Officer Benchmarks from Nationally Representative Data -- Approach and Data Availability -- Comparing Air Force Accession Cohorts to Eligible Population -- Eligibility Among Racial/Ethnic Groups -- Racial/Ethnic Benchmark Comparisons -- Eligibility Differences by Gender -- Gender Benchmark Comparisons -- Intentions for Military Service Impact the Eligible Population -- Summary -- 3.Accessions and Retention -- Accession Cohorts over Time: Minorities -- Accession Cohorts over Time: Women -- Explaining the Lower Rates of Retention Among Female Officers -- Methodology: Doubly Robust Estimation -- Differential Retention Among Officers by Gender -- Officer Characteristics and Differential Retention Among Officers -- Differential Retention Among Civilians by Gender -- Summary -- 4.Promotions -- Differences in Promotion by Race/Ethnicity and Gender -- Methodology: Doubly Robust Regression -- Race/Ethnicity and Gender Comparisons -- Multiple Testing Considerations -- Results -- Career Success Is Cumulative -- Methodology: Generalized Boosted Models -- Results: Most Influential Characteristics on DP (Definitely Promote) Award and Promotion -- Use of Policy Tools Could Mitigate Gaps -- Conclusion -- 5.Conclusions and Recommendations -- Recruiting -- Accession -- Retention -- Promotion.
- Summary:
- "Despite the Air Force's efforts to create a force that mirrors the racial, ethnic, and gender differences of the nation's population, minority groups and women are underrepresented in the active-duty line officer population, especially at senior levels (i.e., colonel and above). This report examines the reasons for this, with the goal of identifying potential policy responses. The authors analyzed data from multiple sources on Air Force eligibility, youths' intention to serve, accessions, retention, and promotion. A key finding is that African Americans and Hispanics are underrepresented in the Air Force compared with the nation's population mainly because they meet Air Force officer eligibility requirements at lower rates (e.g., they are much less likely than whites to have a college degree). Another reason for lower representation of minorities and women among senior leaders is that, once in the military, women and minorities are less likely to choose career fields that give them the highest potential to become senior leaders. In addition, female officers have lower retention rates than male officers, and the reasons for this are not clear. Finally, the authors comprehensively examined the Air Force promotion system and found no evidence to suggest it treats women and minorities differently than white men with similar records. The authors recommend that the Air Force should seek comparable quality across ethnic/minority groups in the accession processes, since competitiveness even at this stage is a predictor of promotion success. More racial/ethnic minorities and women who are cadets and officers should be in rated career fields, which have the highest promotion rates to the senior ranks."--Rand website.
- Subject(s):
- ISBN:
- 0833084283
9780833084286 - Note:
- "RAND Project Air Force."
"Prepared for the United States Air Force."
"RR-495-AF"--Page 4 of cover. - Bibliography Note:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 68-70).
- Other Forms:
- Also available via the Internet.
- Funding Information:
- FA7014-06-C-001.
- Access Online:
- www.rand.org
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