Military Attrition: DOD Could Save Millions by Better Screening Enlisted Personnel

DOD has revised the separations codes and is circulating them for internal comment. It plans to issue the codes and implementing guidance telling the services how and when to apply these codes. At this time, the codes have not been issued service-wide, and the guidance has not been drafted. In addition, GAO believes that the approach DOD used to revise the codes will not serve the intended objective.

Three services have directly tied the measurement of success for recruiters to their recruits' successful completion of basic training. In the Navy and the Army, recruiters are awarded points when their recruits graduate from basic training. In the Marine Corps, recruiters must replace each recruit who does not graduate. In the Air Force, the recruiter's goal system is not directly tied to recruits' successful completion of basic training, but attrition rates are considered for award purposes.

DOD now requires all military applicants to list their past medical providers and insurers.

DOD has fielded a new medical history form with more precisely worded questions on past problems.

DOD has already revised its medical history form filled out by incoming applicants to include International Classification of Diseases codes for all medical disqualifications and waivers. After this form is fielded, it will allow DOD to collect this information into a database that can be used for analyses of the survivability of enlistees who receive medical waivers. In fact, the Walter Reed Institute of Research has already completed studies for DOD on the advisability of granting waivers to enlistees with asthma, flat feet, knee problems, and skin conditions. DOD has also tasked Walter Reed with using its studies to recommend whether further medical screening tests for applicants would be cost-effective. Walter Reed is now encouraging the development of a new asthma test that may be added to the MEPS examination in the future to screen out persons with severe asthma. DOD has issued guidance to the services on how to capture medical information on applicants' specific diagnoses. The database is now being developed that will allow DOD to determine whether new screening tests should be added to the Military Entrance Processing Station physical examinations.

All services now test applicants for military service at MEPS.

All four services have taken actions to encourage new recruits to undergo physical fitness training while awaiting basic training. For example, the Navy and the Army now offer recruits an advanced paygrade if they complete a list of tasks, including physical training, before they are sent to basic training. All four services now allow recruits access to military fitness facilities while they are in the Delayed Entry Program.