OPA Surveys
For over 25 years, OPA has conducted scientific surveys of the entire Department of War (DoW) community to collect critical data. Our surveys serve a dual purpose: they give a voice to Service members, civilians, and military families, and they provide high-quality, actionable data to DoW leadership, researchers, and policymakers.
Are you in a survey? (For Respondents)
OPA conducts recurring and ongoing surveys to evaluate policies, establish baseline measures, and monitor program progress. When a person is selected to participate, we typically notify them by email or mail. The invitation contains details on why we are conducting the survey, how to participate, and reinforces that responses are voluntary and confidential.
OPA’s Core Commitments to Respondents
Privacy & Security: Protecting survey participant information by using secure systems and implementing strict confidentiality practices to protect your identity.
Scientific Rigor: Using scientific best practices to ensure our surveys are representative of the unique population of interest.
Efficiency: Designing survey questions to efficiently measure topics that directly impact the DoW community.
Are you seeking survey data? (For Researchers & Requesters)
OPA treats our survey data as a strategic asset. We share our data products with internal DoW entities, other government agencies, and authorized public researchers to support data-driven decision-making, academic research, and transparency.
All data sharing is conducted under strict security frameworks to ensure responsible use and the absolute protection of participant privacy. We offer varying levels of data access depending on the researcher’s affiliation and the project’s direct benefit to the Department.
Click here to learn How to Request OPA DataOur Survey Portfolio
Whether you received an invitation to participate or you are a researcher exploring our data catalog, review the table below to learn more about our specific survey programs:
| Survey Program | Description |
|---|---|
| Active Duty and Reserve Component Spouse Surveys (Spouse) | Measures many aspects of military life, including spouse employment, financial conditions, the impact of deployments and PCS moves, and the well-being of spouses and children. |
| Armed Forces Workplace and Equal Opportunity Survey (WEO) | Gathers feedback from military members about workplace climate, readiness, well-being, training, and policy effectiveness. |
| Defense Organizational Climate Survey (DEOCS) | Gathers information on aspects of unit or organizational climate among Service members and DoW civilians, including population and unit-level surveys, and advanced analytics. |
| Defense Performance Management Evaluation Survey (DPMEC) | An evaluation of DoW’s Defense Performance Management and Appraisal Program (DPMAP). |
| Department of War Civilian Workplace Experiences Survey (WESC) | Fulfills the congressional mandate to assess the experiences of DoW civilian employees in the workplace. (References to gender mean “sex”: male/female). |
| QuickCompass of Sexual Assault Responders (QSAR) | Gathers feedback and insights from sexual harassment and sexual assault prevention and response personnel at military installations. |
| Sexual Violence Support and Experiences Study (SVSES) | Allows DoW to learn directly from Service members about their experiences with sexual violence and specifically, sexual assault. |
| Status of Forces Surveys (SOFS) | Assesses retention, satisfaction, tempo, stress, and readiness among military members. |
| Workplace Experiences Survey of Military Members (WESM) | Congressionally mandated survey providing official estimates of the prevalence of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and unwanted sexual contact in the Military. (References to gender mean “sex”: male/female). |