The Effect of the Assessment of Recruit Motivation and Strength (Arms) Program on Army Accessions and Attrition

The fraction of American youth meeting U.S. Army enlistment standards for weight and body fat has declined markedly. In response, the Army developed a waiver program tied to a fitness test known as the Assessment of Recruit Motivation and Strength (ARMS) test. Through difference-in-differences estimates and other analytic techniques, the authors examine the program’s effect on Army accession and attrition rates.