Are Current Military Education Benefits Efficient and ...

Are Current Military Education Benefits Efficient and Effective for the Services?

Jennie W. Wenger, Trey Miller, Matthew D. Baird, Peter Buryk, Lindsay Daugherty, Marlon Graf, Simon Hollands, Salar Jahedi, Douglas Yeung

COR PORAT ION

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Preface

Since the end of World War II, U.S. service members have had access to benefits to support the pursuit of higher education. A primary focus of these benefits has been assisting the service member's transition back to civilian life. In the current era, service members have access to a variety of education benefits for use while in the military and after. In particular, service members have access to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, a generous benefit passed in 2008 that includes funds for tuition and other expenses, as well as a living allowance. While in the military, service members have access to Tuition Assistance. Research suggests these benefits improve service members' long-term outcomes (such as labor force participation, earnings, and job satisfaction). However, these substantial benefits might also be expected to influence shorter-term outcomes, such as recruiting and retention.

At this point, sufficient time has passed to make it possible to assess key aspects of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Therefore, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness requested that RAND examine the two largest education benefits, the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance, with a focus on impacts on recruiting and retention and the potential for interactions between these benefits. This research should be of interest to policymakers concerned with education benefits, as well as to those interested in how benefits influence recruiting, retention, and other outcomes, and those interested in compensation for service members more broadly.

This research was sponsored by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and conducted within the Forces and Resources Policy Center of RAND's National Defense Research Institute, a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the Unified Combatant Commands, the Department of the Navy, the Marine Corps, the defense agencies, and the defense Intelligence Community. For more information on the RAND Forces and Resources Policy Center, see nsrd/ndri/centers/ frp or contact the director (contact information is provided on the web page).

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Contents

Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Figures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xix Abbreviations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxi

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Research Scope: Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Overview of Research Approaches and Data Limitations.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Organization of This Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

CHAPTER TWO

Research on the Impact of Military Service and Education Benefits on Educational Attainment and Civilian Earnings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Benefits and the Transition to the Civilian World. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Education Benefits--Evidence on Enlistment and Retention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

CHAPTER THREE

Perspectives of New Recruits on Military Education Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Methodology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Findings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

CHAPTER FOUR

Perspectives of College Military and Veteran Student Offices on Military Education Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Methodology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Findings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

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vi Are Current Military Education Benefits Efficient and Effective for the Services?

CHAPTER FIVE

Empirical Strategies and Results.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Data.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Descriptive Analysis of PGIB and TA Usage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Hypotheses.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Summary of Quantitative Approaches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Impact of PGIB Passage on Recruitment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Retention Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Relationship Between TA and PGIB Usage .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Summary of Findings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

CHAPTER SIX

Other Sources of Information: Search Data, Survey Data.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Internet Search Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Education and Service Members' Future Plans.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

CHAPTER SEVEN

Conclusions and Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 New Recruits' Knowledge of, and Plans for, Education Benefits.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Veterans and Service Members as Students: Insights from Interviews with College

Counselors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Other Sources of Qualitative Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 How Did Service Members' Quality and Retention Rates Change After the PGIB?.. . . . . . . . . 71 Summarizing the Evidence: Recruiting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Summarizing the Evidence: Retention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Implications and Recommendations.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

APPENDIX

A. Detailed Overview of Education Benefits Available to Service Members and Veterans.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

B. Additional Data on TA and PGIB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 C. Additional Quantitative Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 D. Additional Information on Internet Search Data.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 E. Status of Forces Analyses, Methods, and Data Description.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Figures

S.1. Conceptual Framework for Education Benefits Decisionmaking Process. . . . . . . . xiii 1.1. Conceptual Framework for Education Benefits Decisionmaking Process. . . . . . . . . . 3 1.2. Recruit Quality and the Civilian Unemployment Rate, 2001?2014. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 5.1. PGIB Spending, by Category and Service Member or Dependents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 5.2. TA Courses per Year, by Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 5.3. Distribution of TA Course Grades. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 5.4. Probability of Remaining in Service, by Years of Prior Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 6.1. Most Common Searches, by Service and Category. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 6.2. Searches Related to GI Bill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 A.1. Organizational Oversight and Individual Lifetime Eligibility Requirements

for Federal Educational Assistance Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 B.1. Word Cloud Based on Tuition Assistance Course Titles.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 E.1. How Much Did Money for College, College Repayment, Contribute to

Your Decision to Join?--Great Influence: by Pay Grade, Dependents, Years of Service, Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 E.2. College Credits Earned Since Joining--Any: by Pay Grade, Dependents, Years of Service, Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 E.3. If Left Active Duty, Primary Activity Would Be College or University: by Pay Grade, Dependents, Years of Service, Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 E.4. To What Extent Is Continuing Your Education a Reason for Your Leaving the Service Within the Next 2 Years? - Large Extent: by Pay Grade, Dependents, Years of Service, Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 E.5. Spouse Completed Bachelor's Degree or Higher: by Pay Grade, Dependents, Years of Service, Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

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