Attracting the Best: How the Military Competes for Information Technology Personnel

This report focuses on the factors affecting the supply of information technology (IT) personnel to the active duty enlisted force, and the findings point to the conclusion that the IT training opportunities offered by the military can help secure the supply of IT personnel over the long haul. During the 1990s, the private-sector demand for information technology (IT) workers, escalating private-sector pay in IT, growing military dependence on IT, and faltering military recruiting led to a concern that the military cap ability was vulnerable to a large shortfall in IT personnel. This report addresses that concern by use of a literature review, field interviews, data analysis, and a dynamic model that, taken together, offer some policy implications for military planners in terms of how to recruit and retain qualified IT personnel.