Status of Forces Surveys
The SOFS assess retention, satisfaction, tempo, stress, and readiness among military members.
About the Survey
The Status of Forces Surveys (SOFS) is a series of annual web-based surveys of the active duty and Reserve component populations in support of DoD efforts. The survey is Congressionally mandated and the results are used to evaluate existing programs and policies, establish baselines before implementing new programs and policies, and monitor progress of programs and policies and their effects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Status of Forces Survey (SOFS) Program?The SOFS is a DoD personnel program that features web-based surveys sponsored by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. The SOFS enable DoD to regularly assess the attitudes and opinions of the DoD community, including active duty and Reserve component members on the full range of personnel issues.
What kind of survey methodology is used for the SOFS?OPA’s survey methodology meets industry standards used by government statistical agencies (e.g., Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics), private survey organizations, and well-known polling organizations. OPA uses well-established, scientific procedures to randomly select a sample that represents the Defense community based on combinations of demographic characteristics (for example, gender, race and ethnicity, and paygrade, etc.). Survey responses are weighted to represent the population. The entire process of sampling and weighting ensures the data represents the population and not the number of respondents. Findings can be generalized to the full military force.