An analysis of the post-commissioning officer performance for graduates of the Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS)

• Main Author: Albritton, David J.
• Other Authors: Eitelberg, Mark J.
• Language: en_US
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2014
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/39907

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. === This thesis analyzes the military performance of Naval officers who graduated from the Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS) and subsequently received a commission through the United States Naval Academy (USNA). Using a sample from the Navy Personnel Research and Development Center's USNA longitudinal Officer Data Base, two measures of performance were examined for officers commissioned between 1980 and 1985. Retention was first analyzed by creating a binary criterion to designate whether an officer was on active duty or not as of June 1990, producing a continuation rate for each year group in the study. A performance index was also developed, based on the number of recommendations for early promotion (REP) appearing on all qualified fitness reports. The results indicate that retention rates tend to be higher for USNA graduates who attended NAPS than for those who did not. However, NAPS graduates are less likely than other USNA officers to receive a REP on their fitness report. Performance differences were found based on demographic characteristics, education, and Navy experience. Several recommendations for future research on NAPS graduates are offered.