Soldiers' Families

This Note is the outgrowth of a special assistance effort by the Arroyo Center for the Army Community and Family Support Center (CFSC) during Operations Desert Shield and Storm. Faced with the need for short-term information that could also be of long-term value, CFSC asked RAND to consider ways the Army could gain information about experiences of Army personnel and their families during similar fast-breaking events. The document was prepared to address a wider question as well: How to query a representative sample of Army families and obtain timely information on topics of concern as changing policy needs and external events dictate. The analysis and recommendations on how to meet future information needs will be of interest to policymakers responsible for community and family support, military survey practitioners, and leaders and managers within the Army personnel community. The authors thank RAND colleagues Allan F. Abrahamse, who originated the idea of a panel survey with replicates, and Bruce Orvis, who reviewed and commented on an earlier draft of this document.