WITHDRAWN: The Characteristics of US Army Soldiers from 2000-2019

• Activity Number: 27 - SDNS Speed Session
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Sunday, August 8, 2021 : 1:30 PM to 3:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistics in Defense and National Security
• Author(s): Nathaniel J. Ratcliff and Stephanie S. Shipp and Joel Thurston and Kathryn Linehan and Alyssa Mikytuck and Eric Oh and Aritra Halder and Joshua Randall Goldstein and Vicki Lancaster and Aaron D. Schroeder and Sallie Keller
• Companies: University of Virginia, Biocomplexity Institute and University of Virginia, Biocomplexity Institute and University of Virginia, Biocomplexity Institute and Biocomplexity Institute, University of Virginia and Biocomplexity Institute, University of Virginia and University of Virginia, Biocomplexity Institute and Biocomplexity Institute, University of Virginia and Biocomplexity Institute, University of Virginia and University of Virginia, Biocomplexity Institute and Biocomplexity Institute, University of Virginia
• Keywords: military research; recruit quality; selection criteria; health; physical fitness; socioeconomic status

Abstract

The U.S. Army possesses significant administrative data on Soldiers (e.g., personnel records on aptitude tests, demographics, family composition, training, fitness, and promotions). We are repurposing this data to describe the active-duty Soldier population between the years 2000 and 2019.

Using administrative data stored in the Army’s Person-Event Data Environment (PDE), a data enclave, and publicly available government data sources, we analyzed Soldier demographic characteristics, recruit quality, socioeconomic status, and health and fitness. The analyses focused on describing active-duty Soldiers by year, by cohort (year joined), and changes in cohorts over time.

Comparisons between the U.S. Army and the general U.S. population are presented to highlight similarities and differences. This research will set the foundation for additional analyses to discover the attributes and social behaviors that contribute to an improved understanding of Soldiers and unit performance.