Service Member Spouse Survey

F OR OFFICIAL USE ONLY – DRAFT, Pre-decisional

DoD Comprehensive Review Working Group (CRWG)

on the Impact of Repealing the

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy

2010 Department of Defense

Active Component/Reserve Component

Service Member Spouse Survey

(Including Coast Guard)

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons should respond to a collection of information unless it displays an appropriate license number (for example, an OMB control number for a collection from the public, or a Report Control Symbol for a collection from DoD and USCG/DHS personnel or beneficiaries). The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 20 minutes per survey, including the time to review instructions and complete and review the information collection. If you have comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxx

Dear Military Spouse:

You and about 150,000 other spouses of active duty and reserve component military personnel have been selected at random to participate in an important confidential survey that will help shape the future of our military.

As you know, in his State of the Union address this year, President Obama called upon the Congress to repeal the law commonly known as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Following that, I directed the Department of Defense to consider how to best implement a repeal of this law should that occur. This survey is part of that effort. Your responses to this survey will help us assess the impact of a change in the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law and policy on family readiness and recruiting and retention.

Your voices are important and we need you to participate. The survey is confidential and will enable you to be straightforward and candid in your responses.

Thanks for your time and for your great service to our Nation.

Robert Gates

Secretary of Defense

Instructions to Complete the Survey

• To mark your answer, just put an X or a √ in the box: x or √ . Please use a blue or black ink pen.

• You will sometimes be asked to skip questions based on your answers. In addition, certain questions or sections of the questionnaire may not apply to you.

• Please mark only one answer per question, unless the instructions say something else.

WHAT IS THIS SURVEY?

The 2010 DoD Comprehensive Review Survey of Service Member Spouses collects information about community life and the potential impact of a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on family readiness. Your inputs will be taken into consideration by the Department in our review of this important topic.

WHY SHOULD I PARTICIPATE?

This is your chance to be heard. The military leadership will use the survey results to guide planning and policy development.

WILL I BE IDENTIFIED?

You were randomly selected to participate in this survey and your responses to the survey will not be tracked back to you. Only the civilian contractor collecting and analyzing the survey information for the Department of Defense will have access to completed survey questionnaires. Only group statistics will be reported. The information that you provide will be kept confidential and is protected under current laws and regulations, including the Privacy Act of 1974.

CERTIFICATE OF CONFIDENTIALITY: We will do everything we can to keep others from learning about your participation in this study. To further help us protect your privacy, we have obtained a Certificate of Confidentiality from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). With this certificate, we cannot be forced (for example by court order or subpoena) to disclose information that may identify you in any federal, state, local, civil, criminal, legislative, administrative, or other proceeding.

A Certificate of Confidentiality does not prevent you from voluntarily releasing information about yourself or your involvement in this survey. Westat, however, will not disclose information to anyone that would identify you as a participant in this study unless you provide consent for us to release that information. If you provide consent for someone to receive your research information, Westat may not use the Certificate of Confidentiality to withhold this information. Also, if we were to find out that you are planning to harm yourself or someone else, we would need to report the threat to the authorities.

WHO CAN I CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION?

If you have questions or need assistance, Please call Westat, our survey contractor, toll-free 1-888-491-2083 or send an email to: [email protected]. Callers outside of the United States and Canada can call collect (US Country Code) + (301) 212-5216.

If you have questions about the legitimacy of this survey as an approved DoD survey, please contact [email protected].

About You

1. What is your marital status?

• Married

• Separated

• Divorced  Go to question 44 on page XX

• Widowed  Go to question 44 on page XX

2. How many years have you been married? (To indicate less than 1 year, enter “0”.)

Years

3. In which branch of the Armed Forces is your spouse currently serving?

• Army, Active Duty

• Army National Guard, Army Reserve

• Navy, Active Duty

• Navy Reserve

• Air Force, Active Duty

• Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve

• Marine Corps, Active Duty

• Marine Corps Reserve

• Coast Guard, Active Duty

• Coast Guard Reserve

4. Are you currently serving, or have you ever served, in the military?

• Yes, currently  Go to question 44 on page XX

• Yes, previously but not now

• No

5. Is your spouse currently deployed?

• Yes

• No

6. How many times has your spouse been deployed since September 11, 2001?

Number of times deployed

7. Do you have any family members, friends or acquaintances, including coworkers, whom you believe to be gay or lesbian?

• Yes, one

• Yes, more than one

• No

The President has called for and Congress is considering the repeal of the “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” law.  This law generally requires that a Service member shall be separated if the member is found to have engaged in homosexual conduct. The Department of Defense is now considering how it would implement changes in the law that would affect all five branches of the military, should such changes occur. A possible change would allow gay and lesbian Service members to serve in the military without risk of separation because of their sexual orientation.  The next set of questions is designed to give us information to help us plan in the event the law and policy change.

8. Has your spouse ever worked on a daily basis with an individual he or she believed to be a homosexual Service member?

• Yes

• No  Go to question 11

• Don’t know  Go to question 11

9. How well did you know that individual? (If more than one individual, please answer thinking about the Service member with whom your spouse worked most recently.)

• Very well

• Well

• Somewhat well

• Not well at all

10. Compared with other Service members in the community, how much did that Service member participate in military social activities?

• More than most other Service members in the community

• Less than most other Service members in the community

• About the same as most other Service members

• Don’t know

11. If Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed, the military will want to prepare and assist spouses in understanding the new policy. How would you like the military to provide you with information on the new policy? Mark all that apply.

• No special activities or communications would be necessary

• Distribute printed information to spouses about repeal

• Provide information about the repeal on military Web sites

• Have interactive chats available on line to answer questions from Service member spouses

• Conduct information sessions on bases and installations about repeal

• Provide information through military chaplains trained to work with spouses and family members on repeal

• Provide information through other military counselors trained to work with spouses and family members on repeal

• Provide information through family readiness group/work-life program leaders trained to work with spouses and family members on repeal

• Offer courses to spouses on how to discuss repeal within their families

• Other

If you selected “Other,” please specify another way you would prefer to receive the information:

Retention and Referrals

12. Overall, how do you feel about your spouse’s current military service?

• Very positive

• Positive

• An equal mix of positive and negative feelings

• Negative

• Very negative

• Never thought about it

13. Which one of the following statements best describes your spouse’s current military career intentions?

• Definitely stay in until retirement

• Probably stay in until retirement

• Definitely stay in beyond present obligation, but not necessarily until retirement

• Probably stay in beyond present obligation, but not necessarily until retirement

• Definitely leave upon completion of present obligation

• Probably leave upon completion of present obligation

• Have met retirement eligibility but will continue to serve

• Don’t know

14. Which of the following best describes your preference for your spouse’s military career intentions?

• Remain in the military until retirement

• Remain in the military beyond present obligation, but not necessarily until retirement

• Leave upon completion of his or her present obligation

• I do not have a strong preference

15. What are the most important factors you and your spouse consider when making decisions about his or her future in the military? Please mark up to 3 factors.

• Spouse’s current pay and benefits

• Your job status

• Education benefits (for you, your spouse, and/or your children)

• Spouse’s retirement benefits

• Spouse’s years completed toward retirement

• Current economic situation and civilian job availability

• Family separations and stability

• Medical care

• Childcare options

• Deployment-related considerations

• Spouse’s ability to serve and defend the country

• Spouse’s job satisfaction

• Our satisfaction with military life

• Our children’s well-being

• Living on-base

• The ability to live in a close knit military community

• Other  Specify:___________________________________________________________

16. How important a factor would a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell be to you in making decisions about your spouse’s future in the military?

• Very important

• Important

• Neither important nor unimportant

• Unimportant

• Very unimportant

• Don’t Know

17. Would a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell affect your preference for your spouse’s plans for his or her future in the military?

• Yes, I would want my spouse to stay longer

• Yes, I would want my spouse to leave earlier

• No, it would have no effect on my preference for my spouse’s plans for military service in the future

• Don’t Know

18. Have you ever recommended to a family member or close friend that he or she pursue service in the military?

• Yes

• No

19. Would a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell affect your willingness to recommend military service to a family member or close friend?

• Yes, I would be more likely to recommend military service to a family member or close friend

• Yes, I would be less likely to recommend military service to a family member or close friend

• No, it would not affect my willingness to recommend military service to a family member or close friend.

• Don’t Know

Military Life

20. What is your preference on where to live?

• In on-base housing

• In military housing off-base

• In civilian housing

21. Where do you currently live?

• In on-base housing

• In military housing off-base

• In civilian housing

22. Assuming you had a choice on where to live, what are the most important factors you would consider? Please mark up to 3 factors.

• Cost of housing

• Housing condition

• Amount of space

• Quality of schools in the area

• Safety of the community

• Sense of the community in the neighborhood

• Presence of children in the neighborhood

• Commuting time to your job

• Proximity to spouse’s job

• Neighbors that I know and trust

• The values of the community

• Presence of local businesses

• Easy access to the exchange, commissary, and MWR facilities

• Other  Specify:___________________________________________________________

23. Assuming you had a choice on where to live, how important would a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell be to you in considering where to live?

• Very important

• Important

• Neither important nor unimportant

• Unimportant

• Very unimportant

• Don’t know

24. Assume Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed and you live in on-base housing. If a gay or lesbian Service member lived in your neighborhood with their partner, would you stay on-base or would you try to move out?

• I would stay on-base

• I would try to move out

• Don’t Know

• Not applicable, I would not live on-base  Go to question 26

25. While living on-base, which of the following would you do?

• I would make a special effort to get to know the gay or lesbian Service member and partner

• I would get to know them like any other neighbor

• I would generally avoid them when I could

• I would do nothing

• I would do something else

• Don’t Know

If you marked “I would do something else,” please specify:

26. In the last 12 months, about how many informal military social events, such as picnics, gatherings and holiday parties, have you attended?

 All or nearly all of these events

 Many of these events

 Some of these events

 Very few of these events

 None of these events

27. Assume Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed. Would the attendance of a gay or lesbian Service member with his or her partner affect how often you attend these types of military social events?

• Yes, I would attend these types of military social events more often

• Yes, I would attend these types of military social events less often

• No, it would not affect my attendance at these types of military social events

• Don’t Know

28. During your spouse’s most recent deployment since September 11, 2001, how many deployment-support gatherings did you attend?

 All or nearly all of these gatherings

 Many of these gatherings

 Some of these gatherings

 Very few of these gatherings

 None of these gatherings

 Does not apply – my spouse has not been deployed since September 11, 2001

29. Assume Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed and your spouse is deployed. Would the presence of a partner of a gay or lesbian Service member affect how often you attend deployment-support activities?

• Yes, I would attend deployment-support activities more often

• Yes, I would attend deployment-support activities less often

• No, it would not affect my attendance at deployment-support activities

• Don’t know

30. If you had concerns about the impact of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, to whom would you likely turn? Mark all that apply.

• Would not need to talk to someone

• My spouse

• A family member

• A friend outside of your family

• A neighbor

• Key Spouse/Senior Spouse

• Airmen and Family Readiness Center

• Military Family Life Consultants (MFLC)

• Other military spouses

• Family Readiness Group

• Work-Life Program

• Ombudsman/Ombuds Offices

• Support services on the base or installation

• Support services in the civilian community

• A military chaplain

• Community religious leaders

• Someone else

If you marked “Someone else,” please specify:

Family Readiness

Family Readiness is defined as how prepared military families are to handle the challenges of military life. Each Service has individual programs to support family readiness – for example, financial, education, housing, and health programs, programs for your child, community programs, deployment preparedness programs, and work-life/employee assistance programs.

31. How would you rate your overall family readiness to handle the challenges of military life?

• Very ready

• Ready

• About an equal mix of feeling ready and unready

• Unready

• Very unready

• Not sure

32. Assume Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed. Would repeal affect your family readiness?

• Yes, it would improve my family readiness

• Yes, it would reduce my family readiness

• No, it would have no effect on my family readiness

• Don’t know

33. What family readiness programs would you turn to for assistance in sustaining family readiness?

• Military One Source

• Health Facilities

• Deployment Support Programs

• On-base Chapels

• Family Support Programs

• Work-Life/Employee Assistance Programs

• Other

If you selected “Other,” please specify what else you would do to sustain family readiness:

34. How important are military family programs in supporting your overall family readiness?

• Very important

• Important

• Neither important nor unimportant

• Unimportant

• Very unimportant

35. Assume Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed. If the partner of a gay or lesbian Service member participated in a family support program, would it affect your participation?

• Yes, I would participate in that family support program more often

• Yes, I would participate in that family support program less often

• No, it would not affect my participation in that family support program

• Don’t Know

36. Please tell us if you have any other thoughts or comments about how a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell would affect your family readiness.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

More about You

37. What is the highest degree or level of school you have completed?

• 12 years or less of school, but no high school diploma, certificate, or GED

• High school diploma or GED

• Some college credit, but no degree

• Associate’s degree (e.g., AA, AS)

• Bachelor’s degree (e.g., BA, AB, BS)

• Master’s, professional, or doctorate degree (e.g., MA, MS, MD, JD, DVM, DDS, PhD)

38. What age were you on your last birthday?

Years old

39. Are you male or female?

• Male

• Female

40. Do you or your spouse have any children living at home either part-time or full-time?

• Yes

• No  Skip to Q42

41. How many children do you or your spouse have, living at home either part time or full time, in each age group? Please enter a number for each age group. To indicate none, enter “0.”

No. of Children

a.	5 years old or younger?
b.	6–12 years old?
c.	13–17 years old?
d.	18 years old or older?

42. Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin?

• Yes

• No

43. What is your race? Please select one or more.

• White

• Black or African-American

• Asian

• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

• American Indian or Alaska Native

44. As the last question in the survey, we’d like you to tell us about any other thoughts or opinions you have – positive, negative, or neutral – about the implications on family readiness and support or other aspects of military life if the government decides to repeal the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law and policy.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for your participation

in this important survey.

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