USCG
RETENTION
STUDY
USCG
RETENTION
STUDY
USCG
CONDUCTED BY A TEAM OF USCGA CADETS WITH SUPPORT FROM THE USCG WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE AND THE USCGA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Coast Guard members past and present – we want to hear from you!
BACKGROUND
Retention is a key concern for the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard has invested significant resources to understand factors that influence members’ decisions to stay in or leave the Service. Prior retention research, such as the 2019 RAND women’s retention study, has not fully captured the perspectives of current Reserve personnel and those who have left either active duty or the Reserves. However, these perspectives represent a source of valuable information about why members stay in the Coast Guard.
A team of U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) cadets under the direction of two faculty advisors and with support from the USCG Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) and the USCGA Alumni Association, is conducting a study to understand why members have left the Coast Guard or would consider leaving, and what motivates them to stay. Your participation in this survey will help us understand issues that impact members’ retention and help us make informed policy and procedure recommendations to senior Coast Guard leaders at Headquarters at the conclusion of this project.
THE SURVEY
This survey captures members’ experiences with a wide range of retention factors identified in the 2019 RAND women’s retention study, which are applicable to members of all genders. This approach will inform policy recommendations that make the Coast Guard more inclusive for all members, while ensuring attention to policies that impact women, who leave the Coast Guard in higher numbers than men.
The survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Members of all genders, both enlisted and officers, who are now serving or who have served in the Coast Guard are invited to complete the survey. Individuals who participated in the RAND women’s retention study, as well as reservists and USCGA staff who participated in earlier stages of this project, are encouraged to respond.
The survey will remain open through Friday, March 3rd.
This survey captures members’ experiences with a wide range of retention factors identified in the 2019 RAND women’s retention study, which are applicable to members of all genders. This approach will inform policy recommendations that make the Coast Guard more inclusive for all members, while ensuring attention to policies that impact women, who leave the Coast Guard in higher numbers than men.
The survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Members of all genders, both enlisted and officers, who are now serving or who have served in the Coast Guard are invited to complete the survey. Individuals who participated in the RAND women’s retention study, as well as reservists and USCGA staff who participated in earlier stages of this project, are encouraged to respond.
The survey will remain open through Friday, March 3rd.
Team members 1/c Kerry Naso and 1/c John Walsh invite you to participate in the project.
We appreciate your participation in this study and look forward to hearing your voice. If you have questions about this project, please contact cgretention@uscga.edu.
THE TEAM
The team consists of six U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadets in the Management and Operations Research and Data Analysis (ORDA) majors who are working on their capstone project under the direction of Dr. Elise Jones and CDR Matthew Williams. The team receives guidance and support from WLI and the USCGA Alumni Association.
Clockwise: 1/c Kerry Naso, 1/c Monty Rickey, 1/c Grace Loose, 1/c Tyler Ma, 1/c John Walsh and 1/c Jack Coughlin.
About the Women's Leadership Initiative
The mission of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) is to support professional development and mentorship opportunities for Coast Guard women in the service and beyond. The initiative is invested in building the best workforce through: empowerment and advocacy, creating opportunities, building and connecting networks, resources and support, and mentorship and coaching. It is a volunteer-led affinity group and is an affiliate of the USCGA Alumni Association.
About the USCGA Alumni Association
The mission of the USCGA Alumni Association, a non-profit organization, is to provide services to, and promote fellowship among, the Alumni of the Coast Guard Academy. They raise funds to provide “margins of excellence” support to the Corps of Cadets, the Academy, and the Coast Guard in order to preserve the traditions and enhance the reputation of the Coast Guard Academy.
About the Women's Leadership Initiative
The mission of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) is to support professional development and mentorship opportunities for Coast Guard women in the service and beyond. The initiative is invested in building the best workforce through: empowerment and advocacy, creating opportunities, building and connecting networks, resources and support, and mentorship and coaching. It is a volunteer-led affinity group and is an affiliate of the USCGA Alumni Association.
About the USCGA Alumni Association
The mission of the USCGA Alumni Association, a non-profit organization, is to provide services to, and promote fellowship among, the Alumni of the Coast Guard Academy. They raise funds to provide “margins of excellence” support to the Corps of Cadets, the Academy, and the Coast Guard in order to preserve the traditions and enhance the reputation of the Coast Guard Academy.
“In order to recruit and retain a top-tier workforce, I believe that uncovering and dismantling elements of Coast Guard policy that result in inequitable opportunities and outcomes based on gender must be a top priority our service. On behalf of the Mathematics Department at CGA, we are elated to have an opportunity to work with the Management Department to this end. Our hope is that by using quantitative data analytics and statistical techniques on the data you provide by taking this survey, we can understand the degree of gender inequity that exists in the Coast Guard and measure our progress toward creating equitable policies.”CDR Matthew Williams, Ph.D.
Permanent Commissioned Teaching Staff, Mathematics Department
"With an opportunity to work on a project with such a strong impact on our organization, I was immediately drawn toward being on the team. Growing up in the United States as a Chinese American, the differences between people and the exposure to adversity within organizations have always been felt. With this project my goal is to contribute to a brighter future that identifies and addresses these differences, further enabling our Coast Guard to develop stronger leaders, opportunities for members, and value the identities of those who carry out our mission.”
1/c Tyler Ma |
Management
“Through this project, the cadets join the host of Coast Guard members who have dedicated their careers to making the Service a great place to work. Their enthusiasm and energy for building and sustaining an inclusive Coast Guard is electric. Your stories shared via this survey will not only provide insights they can share with senior leaders, but also fuel their efforts to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive Coast Guard throughout their careers. ”
Dr. Elise Jones
Assistant Professor, Management Department
"The final iteration of this project not only further builds off from the 2019 RAND Study but most importantly will identify more nuanced factors impacting women’s retention in the service that were not captured before. As the first facet of ADM Fagan’s Intent is to “Transform our Total Workforce,” I’m grateful to be a part of a project that supports this strategic vision and will hopefully further enable Coast Guard leaders to provide the necessary resources, support, and training for members to successfully execute our service’s missions. ”1/c Kerry Naso |
Management
"When given the opportunity to work on this project, I jumped that the chance to be part of the team, due to the positive change I knew would come from it. Time and time again we hear that people are our biggest asset, yet we currently have a personnel shortage. One way to solve this shortage is through continuing the work of the RAND study and finding the reasons people are leaving or have left our service. Once we understand the roots of our retention issues, we will be able to make recommendations to change policy and take action to better support our members.”
1/c Jack Coughlin |
Management
"The Coast Guard’s best asset is its people, and therefore strives for the optimization of talent retention. This project could lay the foundation for innovative, creative, and diverse solutions relating to retention of people from all backgrounds in the Coast Guard. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to be involved in a piece of this journey.”1/c Monty Rickey |
Operations Research and Data Analytics (ORDA)
"This project is one of the largest opportunities I have ever been presented with. My ideal end goal is to better understand the organization I work for. Progress is never limited, and I hope to help create a Coast Guard that I will want my children and their children to join. I am thankful for all of those who came before me and created an environment where a study like this is even possible.”
1/c John Walsh |
Management
"The extension of this year's project to reach the widest range of participants is exciting for not only our team, but those who have done so much work on this research over the years. I am so grateful to carry on this work to make an impact by learning more about the service that we are all a part of. I cannot think of a better time in the Coast Guard to explore how we can continue to be more inclusive for the future! ”
1/c Grace Loose |
Management
1/c Jack Coughlin
1/c Kerry Naso
1/c Grace Loose
1/c Montgomery Rickey
1/c Tyler Ma
1/c John Walsh
Dr. Elise B. Jones
Assistant Professor, Management Department
Assistant Professor, Management Department
CDR Matthew Williams
Permanent Commissioned Teaching Staff, Mathematics Department
Permanent Commissioned Teaching Staff, Mathematics Department
