Over the last 3 decades, dramatic labor market changes and well-intentioned but uninformed policies have created significant officer talent flight. Poor retention engenders substantial risk for the Army as it directly affects accessions, development, and employment of talent. The Army cannot make thoughtful policy decisions if its officer talent pipeline continues to leak at current rates. Since the Army cannot insulate itself from labor market forces as it tries to retain talent, the retention component of its officer strategy must rest upon sound market principles. It must be continuously resourced, executed, measured, and adjusted across time and budget cycles. Absent these steps, systemic policy, and decisionmaking failures will continue to confound Army efforts to create a talent-focused officer corps strategy.

"January 2010"--T.p. "January 2010." "This monograph is the third in a series of six that analyze the development of an officer corps strategy"--P. ii.

Introduction -- Talent retention generates benefits and mitigates risks -- "Company man" employment practices cannot compete in today's labor market -- The Army must build talent retention policies upon sound theory -- From theory to practice: building successful retention policies -- Evaluating existing retention programs -- Conclusion -- Appendix A: Forecasting: the challenge of unstable structures such as source of commission program changes -- Appendix B: Defective measures and other confounding challenges -- Appendix C: An account of the Army's failure to understand the root causes of its retention challenges -- Appendix D: Forecasting: the challenge of unstable relationships such as inputs vis-a-vis outputs -- Appendix E: Design and execution of the officer career satisfaction program.