HOMOSASSA SPRINGS, FLORIDA, FLOTILLA 15-4 AUXILIARY SURVEY LT Matthew Dooris, October 11, 8 This survey was administered online and through email to 65 Auxiliary members of Homosassa Springs, Florida, Flotilla 15-4 from September 16, 8 to October 11, 8 using SurveyMonkey.com. This survey consisted only of 1 questions and was devised from research related to past Auxiliary membership reports, volunteer studies, and data collected from other volunteer organizations. This survey was generated and administered as an independent study by LT Matthew Dooris and in no way sponsored by any other organization, including the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, or the Naval Postgraduate School. Despite this, the results of this survey provide interesting insights into the motivations which lead volunteers to both join and leave the Auxiliary, as well as the need for a national survey to help assess the Auxiliary s current membership deficits. It must be noted that the number of respondents to this survey compared to the total number of Coast Guard Auxiliarists is minute (65/8635 =.%) so the results in no way represent the population. The survey enjoyed a 7% response rate (N=47). Below, you will find each survey question as well as the anonymous response results. A brief discussion of the data follows. SURVEY DEMOGRAPHIC SECTION Survey question #1: How long have you been a Coast Guard Auxiliarist? Less than 1 year.1% 1 1 year but less than 3 years 19.1% 9 3 years but less than 5 years 5.5% 1 5 years but less than 7 years 8.5% 4 More than 7 years 44.7% 1
Survey question #: Do you have prior military experience? Yes 55.3% 6 No 44.7% 1 Survey question #3: What is your current level of education? No high school degree % High school degree 1.6% 5 Some undergraduate experience 36.% 17 Undergraduate degree 3.4% 11 Some graduate experience 6.4% 3 Graduate degree (Master s degree).1% 1 Graduate degree (Ph.D.) 1.6% 5 Law School Degree.1% 1 Medical Degree % Other professional degree (Accountant, Public Health, 8.5% 4 Survey question #4: On average, how many volunteer hours per week do you devote to the Coast Guard Auxiliary? -9 61.7% 9 1-19 7.7% 13-9 8.5% 4 3-39 % 4-49 % 5 or more.1% 1
SURVEY MOTIVATIONAL SECTION Survey question #5: What was the most important reason (motivation) leading you to join the Coast Guard Auxiliary? (Choose only one) To serve country (i.e. duty, patriotism, helping others) 1.6% 5 To learn skills (i.e. boating safety, marine safety, ATON, watchstanding, 53.% 5 To perform operational missions (safety patrols, ATON, vessel exams, 3.4% 11 To educate or teach (i.e. public, other Auxiliary members).1% 1 To develop friendships or foster existing relationships (i.e. fellowship) 6.4% 3 To assume leadership opportunities (i.e. Flotilla Commander, Flotilla Staff officer, To work alongside/with active duty Coast Guard personnel 4.3% Other (please specify) % Survey question #6: Now that you are a Coast Guard Auxiliary member, what is the most important factor keeping you in the organization? (Choose only one) To serve country (i.e. duty, patriotism, helping others) 14.9% 7 To learn skills (i.e. boating safety, marine safety, ATON, watchstanding, 14.9% 7 To perform operational missions (safety patrols, ATON, vessel exams, 38.3% 18 To educate or teach (i.e. public, other Auxiliary members) 8.5% 4 To develop friendships or foster existing relationships (i.e. fellowship) 1.6% 5 To assume leadership opportunities (i.e. Flotilla Commander, Flotilla.1% 1 Staff officer, To work alongside/with active duty Coast Guard personnel 1.6% 5 Other (please specify) %
SURVEY DEMOTIVATIONAL SECTION Survey question #7: Have you seriously considered or are you planning to leave the Coast Guard Auxiliary? Yes 17.8% 8 No 8.% 37 Survey question #8: What is the greatest source of dissatisfaction among Coast Guard Auxiliary members which you believe may be causing members to leave the Auxiliary? (Choose only one) Burdensome administrative work (AUXDATA, AUXINFO, forms, 8.9% 4 Personnel Security Investigations (Background checks).% 1 Expense (uniforms, reimbursement, membership dues, economical.% 1 concerns, Auxiliary organization (chain of command, disconnect with active duty 17.8% 8 or Auxiliary leadership, Inadequate training/learning opportunities 4.4% Inadequate opportunities to perform operational missions 8.9% 4 Lack of Mentorship 8.9% 4 Lack of Recognition.% 1 Unfriendly members 8.9% 4 Poor leadership (communication of priorities or needs, disorganization, 8.9% 4 lack of direction, quarrels at meetings/gatherings) Inadequate interaction with active duty members.% 1 Too demanding of volunteer members (hours, expectations, 6.7% 3 There are no problems 17.8% 8
Survey question #9: Please describe your perception of the effectiveness of Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary membership recruiting and retention strategies. Highly effective (make no changes).% 1 Effective (some changes are needed) 46.7% 1 Have no perception 13.3% 6 Ineffective (many changes are needed) 35.6% 16 Highly ineffective (the system is completely broken).% 1 Survey question #1: The Office of Personnel Management, an independent and unbiased organization from the Coast Guard, administers a national organizational survey every years to active duty, reserve, and civilian members of the Coast Guard to collect data and assess employee satisfaction and workplace climate. The survey is currently 193 questions long and administered online. Do you think that a similar survey (tailored to volunteers) would improve Coast Guard Auxiliary membership retention or recruitment strategies? Yes 6% 7 No 15.6% 7 Do not know 4.4% 11 ANALYSIS The demographic section of the survey indicates that most members have been members for more than seven years, have military experience, some undergraduate experience, and only contribute between -9 volunteer hours per week. The motivational section of the survey suggests that the primary reason most volunteers joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary was to learn new skills while it is the opportunity to perform operational missions which keeps them in the organization.
The demotivational section of the survey indicates that a vast majority of members do not intend to leave the Auxiliary and that the greatest source of dissatisfaction among members is the Auxiliary organization (i.e. chain of command, disconnect with active duty or Auxiliary leadership). The data also shows that almost 18% of those surveyed do not feel that there is anything wrong with the organization. Most believe that some changes are needed in Coast Guard Auxiliary recruiting and retention strategies and that a national survey could potentially help rectify or improve these strategies. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Important aspects of the data include the fact that most spend less than 9 hours per week volunteering, few are looking to leave the Auxiliary, some changes are needed in Coast Guard Auxiliary recruiting and retention strategies, and a national survey could potentially remedy any shortfalls which might exist. The number of hours volunteered is consistent with several theories relating to time poverty and the fact that today s volunteers are restricted in the number of hours they can volunteer. Of course, the current state of the economy has impact as well. Again, conclusions gleaned from the data collected above must be read with the understanding that this survey captured the opinions of a very small sect of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Further administration of this survey is highly encouraged to determine if similar results are yielded. This survey will remain posted on http://a7154.uscgaux.info/ and Auxiliarists who have not taken the survey should do so as results will continue to be tracked.