|
Data
Sources
The
primary sources for this report are computerized data files on military
personnel maintained by the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). In addition,
the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides the bulk of the comparison
data on the national population. Though the data sources have remained
constant, refinements have been made over the years, most of them in regard
to the civilian comparisons. Starting with the report for FY 1994, Census
data were adjusted to provide a more accurate comparison for military
applicants and accessions (yearly average rather than last month
of the fiscal year). Age comparisons for prior-service enlisted
accessions to the Selected Reserve were also adjusted, from the 18- to
44-year-old civilian labor force to the 20- to 39-year-old civilian labor
force. Comparisons for Selected Reserve enlisted members were changed
from 18- to 44-year-old civilians to 18- to 49-year-olds. Starting with
data for FY 1995, a further age refinement was introduced for comparisons
with the officer corps. Previously the comparison group for Active Component
officers comprised civilian workforce college graduates who were 21 and
older. This was adjusted by establishing an upper bound at age 49, making
the more precise comparison, college graduates aged 21 to 49 who are in
the workforce.
In addition,
beginning with the FY 1995 Population Representation report, DMDC
provided edited, rather than raw, data on applicants for enlistment. In
FY 1997, prior service accession data for the Active Component were added.
U.S. Coast Guard representation statistics were included for the first
time in FY 1998. A refinement to the age range of the civilian comparison
group for Active Component prior service enlisted accessions—recently
added—was made in FY 1999. The age range was extended from 18-24
year-olds to 17-35 year-olds, to better reflect the older composition
of recruits with previous military experience. Some file format changes
at DMDC during the past two years, FYs 1999 and 2000, have introduced
some coding changes to more accurately reflect the characteristics of
interest. As a result, there are some noticeable differences throughout
the report in comparisons between last year (FY 1999) and this year (FY
2000). A brief description of the data sources for FY 2000 follows:
|
Subject
|
Data
Source
|
|
Active
Components
|
|
Applicants
to Enlisted Military
|
DMDC U.S.
Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) Edit Files, October
1999 through September 2000.
|
Enlisted
Accessions
|
DMDC USMEPCOM
Edit Files, October 1999 through September 2000.
|
Enlisted Force
|
DMDC Active
and Loss Edit File, September 2000.
|
Officer Accessions
|
DMDC Officer
Gain Files, October 1999 through September 2000.
|
Officer Corps
|
DMDC Officer
Master and Loss Edit File, September 2000.
|
|
Reserve
Components
|
|
Selected Reserve
Enlisted and Officer Accessions
|
DMDC Reserve
Components Common Personnel Data System (RCCPDS), October 1999
through September 2000.
|
Selected Reserve
Enlisted Force and Officer Corps
|
DMDC Reserve
Components Common Personnel Data System (RCCPDS), September 2000.
|
|
Civilian
Comparisons
|
|
Civilian Comparison
Groups for Applicants, Accessions, and Active and Reserve Members
|
Bureau of
Labor Statistics Current Population Survey Files, October 1999
through September 2000.
|
Civilian Socioeconomic
Comparison Data
|
Bureau of
Labor Statistics Current Population Survey Files, October 1999
through September 2000.
|
Civilian Comparisons
for Military Entrance Test Data
|
Profile
of American Youth (Washington, DC: Office of the Assistant
Secretary of Defense [Manpower, Reserve Affairs, and Logistics],
March 1982).
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