Marine Corps Recruit Training Attrition: The Effect of Realistic Job Preview and Stress-Coping Films

Abstract : To reduce recruit training attrition, the Marine Corps had two training films developed: The Beginning, a realistic job review (RJP) film and Making It, a stress-coping (SC) film. To evaluate the films' effectiveness in reducing attrition, platoons of Marine recruits were randomly assigned to four treatment groups: viewing the RJP film, viewing the SC film, viewing both films, or viewing neither film (control group). There were no statistically significant differences in recruit training attrition among the treatment and control groups. Also, attrition rates among the individual platoons differed significantly.