An Evaluation of Unit Replacement on Unit Cohesion and Individual Morale in the U. S. Army All-Volunteer Force

In 1981, the U.S. Army initiated a new personnel replacement system, called the Unit Replacement System, in selected units. The new training and assignment policy was aimed at improving the perceived lack of group cohesion and low level of morale in U.S. Army units. Survey data were collected from junior-ranking enlisted soldiers in both Individual Replace- ment (IR) and Unit Replacement (UR) units to assess the effects of UR on soldiers' perceptions about interpersonal relations and combat readiness. Surveys were administered during a Zyear period (1986-1988) in three waves 6 to 8 months apart. The purpose of this article is to report the initial findings of this evaluation based on the first three waves of survey data. Company mean scores on measures of cohesion and morale were significantly higher for UR units than for IR units at Time 1, even when controlling for individual soldier and unit characteristics. However, the higher UR-unit scores decreased over time. The only remaining statistical difference between IR and UR units at Time 3 was observed on the measure of Off-Duty Social Associations. The difference on this scale (an important predictor of willingness to go to war with other unit members) was even greater in UR units in which noncommis- sioned officers (NCOs) and officers were perceived as having higher concern for junior-ranking enlisted soliders (Concerned Leadership). Moreover, UR units having higher levels of Concerned Leadership had less of a decrease on the other cohesion and morale measures between Time 1 and Time 2, especially on perceptions of the closeness and tightness of affective ties among the junior-ranking enlisted soldiers (Horizontal Bonding).