Retaining United States Department of Defense Civilian Employees Through Disciplined Servant Leadershi

The following comparative case studies explored the applicability of servant leadership within the US military and how such leadership style contributes to commitment and retention of civil service employees. The research took place in a US Army post in Germany and in a US Air Force Base in Florida. Retaining civilian employees and raising their degree of commitment is a major concern in the military, in general, and in military higher education in particular and since the degrees of commitment and retention of civilian employees of the United States Department of Defense seem high compared to civilian corps in private organizations, the current study attempted to explore and explain any linkage between these two aggregates and servant leadership. The purpose of this comparative multiple case studies was to explore the applicability of servant leadership within the military and to explain how military leaders' servant leadership behaviors affect the commitment and retention of the civilian employees. Surveys, interviews with military commanders (leaders) and the civilian faculty (followers), were the main data collection tools used to conduct two studies at the United States Air Force Special Operations School (USAFSOS) in Hurlburt Field, FL and the Combined Arms Training enter (CATC) in Grafenwohr, Germany.;The case studies focused initially on faculty and staff working in both locations and allowed a cross examination of servant leadership model within two main branches of the military. Two commanders were also interviewed. The comparative model allowed for replicability and transferability and gave more substance to the studies as it overcame the uniqueness of a military branch compared to another (US Army vs US Air Force).