Date

11-13-2025

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration (PhD)

Chair

Eugene R. Belmain

Keywords

Retention, Attrition, Readiness, Operational Readiness, Motivation, Personnel Retention, Military, Army, U.S. Army, US Military

Disciplines

Human Resources Management | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

Abstract

The overall organizational preparedness for the United States (U.S.) Army’s operations is chiefly anchored upon the organization’s ability to maintain qualified human capital. Nonetheless, challenges regarding recruiting and retention continue even within the Army’s attempts to secure its position as the military's largest branch. Those challenges potentially impede morale and endanger the operational readiness of Army units. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of personnel retention and attrition on operation readiness within targeted Army units at Fort Riley, KS; Fort Leonard Wood, MO; and Fort Cavazos, TX. Eradicating these dynamics is essential to developing optimal measures for retaining skilled Soldiers and ensuring that the Army’s operational capacity remains optimal. Data was collected through three approaches including semi-structured interviews from 10 Soldiers including enlisted personnel and junior commissioned officers; participant observation, and document review. All the collected data was transcribed, coded, and analyzed with the help of NVivo qualitative data analysis software to develop themes. From the study, it was determined that several factors such as benefits, compensation, leadership and burnout impact Soldiers’ retention and

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Available for download on Friday, November 13, 2026

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