US Population Census Essay

Accounting for U.S. Military in the U.S. Census

A Review of the Literature

The United States has been taking census of all its citizens ever since the passing of the Census Act in 1790. The U.S. government is aware of how daunting this task can be. One of the more challenging aspects of the U.S. census is accounting for all of the U.S. military that are stationed around the world and in the U.S. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are approximately 1,431,000

service members currently serving on active duty. According to a study published by The Department of Defense, as of 2012, 52.6 percent of the military were married.

One of the major challenges of including military, is the census of all military personnel stationed

overseas or on military vessels. You also to have account for military members that are currently conducting a permanent change of station (P.C.S.). This makes it even more challenging, because a service member who is stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C. could easily be assigned to Kaneohe Bay, HI.
According to a memoranda written by the U.S. Census Bureau (2012), in order for the service member to be counted overseas they need to meet the following criteria:
“U.S. military personnel stationed overseas, including deployed military that can be allocated to a home state. (Deployed overseas means that a military member has been temporarily moved from his or her normal duty station to a combat zone or other hazardous location. Stationed overseas means that the military member normally performs his or her duties at an overseas location); Members of the U.S. Armed Forces on military vessels assigned to a homeport in a foreign country that can be allocated to a home state; Federal civilian employees stationed overseas that can be allocated to a home state; All dependents living with military personnel and federal civilian employees that can be allocated to a home state” (U.S.
Census Bureau. p. 5).
By defining who falls into these categories, it will help alleviate confusion and possible double counts of military personnel.
One of the main issues of accounting for every American overseas according to a Testimony by Patricia A. Dalton,
“The Bureau spent $374 million on a months-long publicity campaign that consisted of television and other advertising that helped produce a 72-percent return rate. Replicating the same level of effort on a worldwide basis would be difficult, and still would not produce a complete count” (p.2.).
This is one of the reasons why the Census Bureau takes census of government employees including Department of Defense personnel. The 1990 Census of Population and Housing History states that,
Until late July 1989, the Bureau did not intend to include overseas
Personnel or their dependents in the 1990 census, as they were not
living in the United States.

(p.1-26).

The challenge of enumerating military personnel, as we have seen did not arise until July of 1989. That was when the U.S. decided to include the military in the

census.

Methodology

One of the major issues in performing the necessary research is ensuring that you do not repeat the same mistakes previously made. One of the methods I will use is the simple random sampling. The reason I would choose this

method of sampling is because of the following,

One of the best things about simple random sampling is the ease of assembling the sample. It is also considered as a fair way of selecting a sample from a given population since every member is given equal opportunities of being selected. (www.explorable.com)

There are other methods that can and should be considered. One method to consider, would be going through Defense and Accounting Service (D.F.A.S.).

You can go in the system and see each service member, and you can see how many dependents they are claiming as well what state they claim. You can also go the unit’s administration or as the military calls it, S-1. They have all the pertinent data the Census Bureau would need. However, great care would have to be taken so that no privacy laws would be

violated.
There are other ways to get the needed information. One way would be to stand outside the Post Exchange (P.X.) and the commissary. I would then ask the service members to fill out a questionnaire that would give you the needed data. Another way, would be to stand outside the barracks in the morning when military members are departing for physical training. However, you must obtain the unit commander’s consent to do this. Standing outside the barracks may be a bit much because, there are over 10,000 barracks spaces located on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. (www.lewis-mcchord.army.mil).
I will give the questionnaire to 1out 5 service members coming into the P.X. and commissary. I would also vary my samples so that I would include an equal representation of officer, enlisted, age, race, gender, and marital status. I would also include whether or not the service member lived in the barracks, base housing,
and off base. In the questionnaire, I will list Yes as #1 and No as #2.
I would ensure that I informed all who filled out the questionnaire of my intent so that they understand the purpose of the questionnaire and how their information will be used in the future. It is vital that the participant be informed of
the purpose. You must inform those who would fill out the questionnaire to ensure you are not violating the code of ethics. According to apa.org, you must adhere to
the informed consent rule which states,
When psychologists conduct research or provide assessment, therapy, counseling or consulting services in person or via electronic transmission or other forms of communication, they obtain the informed consent of the individual or individuals using language that is reasonably understandable to that person or persons except when conducting such activities without consent is mandated by law or governmental regulation or as otherwise provided in this Ethics Code. (sect 3.10 par.a.).