A Statistical Analysis of Minority Personnel Upgrading Opportunities in the Enlisted Navy

This statistical analysis was conducted to accomplish two objectives. The first was to model the Naval enlisted personnel advancement functions based on both personal characteristics and inservice variables. Second, and more importantly, the analysis evaluates minority vs. majority personnel advancement opportunities with respect to the variables found to be significant. Initially, a promotion model was constructed using preservice information such as marital status, region of residence, mental aptitude exam scores, years of education completed, age, etc. One objective of the preservice model was to make race-ethnic group comparisons based on information collected at enlistment and shortly thereafter. Next, the model was expanded by combining preservice information with data on inservice characteristics. The following inservice variables are found to be statistically related to paygrade level: time in service, discipline record, leadership and appearance evaluations, and occupational classification. Minority personnel are adversely affected by the influence of these variables on the advancement function. The statistical analysis not only identified factors which strongly influence promotion but also measured the relative impact of these factors on race-ethnic group advancement opportunities.