Millenials
A Closer Look
Dr. Don Jenrette
Air Force Reserve Command
Reference Material
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Lancaster, C., Stillman, D. When Generations Collide.
Harper Collins. 2002.
Karp, H., Fuller, C., and Sirias, D. Bridging the Boomer
Xer Gap: Creating Authentic Teams for High Performance at
Work. Palo Alto, CA. Davies-Black Publishing. 2002.
Zemke, R., Raines, C., and Flipczak, B. Generations at
Work: Managing the clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and
Nexters in Your Workplace. NY. AMACOM 2000.
Howe, N., and Strauss, W. Millenials Rising: The Next
Great Generation. Vintage. 2000.
Overview
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Who are they?
Characteristics
Millenials
Always been MTV
 Always been a woman on the Supreme Court
Always been able to get their news on CNN or USA Today
 Travel to space has always been in reusable spacecraft
 John Lennon and Elvis Presley have always been dead
 Always been women astronauts
 Never dialed a phone
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Millenials
Who are they?
Born 1981-2003
Other names include Generation Y,
Net Generation,
Generation D (Dot.com)
Millenials
- Exhibit little knowledge or understanding of the
military
- Higher education is military’s chief competitor in
recruiting them
- Dissuaders of military service are far stronger than
persuaders of service (due to misperceptions and
ignorance)
Millenials
-
-
Largest generation in U.S. History with
80 Million
Next to largest generation is Baby Boomers with 76
Million (1946-1964)
-
Gen X is 46 Million strong (1965-1980)
Millenials
-
- Generally come from smaller families
- One in three births were to unwed mothers
- 60 percent work outside the home
- One in three is not Caucasian
- Boys have close friends who are girls but not
“girlfriends” and same for girls
Don’t view each other in stereotypical gender roles as
found in previous generations
- Product of “female-dominated society”
Millenials
Core Characteristics:
- Special
- Independent and vocal
- Sheltered
- Optimistic/Confident
- Pressured/Impatient
- Team-oriented
- Conventional/Traditional
- Skeptical
- Tolerant/Open minded
- Materialistic
Millenials
What do they think?
#1 goal for almost all is a well-paying job (81%)
- Having people’s respect (77%)
- Having a good relationship with parents (77%)
- Worst problems facing the U.S. are:
-- Selfish people (56%)
-- No respect for authority (52%)
-- Parents who do not discipline their children (47%)
-- Entertainment media (44%)
-
Millenials
What do they think?
Adhere to old-fashioned values:
-- Four out of five say they want to get married
-- 53% of girls claim that premarital sex is “always wrong”
-- 41% of boys claim that premarital sex is “always wrong”
- Care deeply about social issues
- Grand sense of optimism
- Tend to be conservative but generally apathetic toward politics
itself
- Second to their value of families is value placed on friendships
-
Millenials
What do they think?
-
-
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Racial differences are not a big deal
Tend to view each other according to socioeconomic class
Work place demands include access to technology, high
compensation, responsibilities, information and continuous
learning opportunities, and flexible work locations and hours
Their one rally cry is for the environment
Millenials
677 teenaged Millenials from six states asked “Why have
you not considered the military as a career option?”
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Doesn’t match career objectives (27%)
- College bound (24%)
- Personal beliefs (19%)
Loss of personal control/freedom (12%)
- Risk of life/limb (6%)
- Lack of information (3%)
- Parental pressure not to join (3%)
- Other (3%)
Millenials
677 teenaged Millenials asked:
Why would you consider the military as a career option?

Adventure/Travel (20%)
- Pay and benefits (17%)
- Educational benefits (17%)
- Challenge (12%)
- Exposure (6%)
Relative with military experience (5%)
- Lack of options (5%)
- Duty to country (5%)
- Lifestyle (5%)
- Other (5%)
- Appealing mission (3%)
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Millenials
677 teenage Millenials asked:
What has been the greatest influence on your perception of military
service?
-
Family member (29%)
- Movies (24%)
- Other (13%)
- Friend (12%)
- Advertising (10%)
- Recruiter (6%)
- Teacher (4%)
- Internet (2%)
Millenials
-
Five Forces that shaped and molded the
Millenial Generation:
-- Parents
-- Technology
-- Education
-- New Economy
-- Media
Millenials
-
Parental Influence
-- Most (baby boomers) do not regard military career as
“successful”
-- View military for second-tier students
Millenials
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Technology Influence
-- Computers have made knowledge cool through a fusion
of fun and learning
-- Display an ambiance of arrogance because of
technology is omnipresent in their lives
Millenials
View of Media Technology
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Radio/Slide Rule
TV/Calculators
Atari/Lap Tops
Internet/iPod
Millenials
View of Technology
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Hope to Outlive It
Master It
Enjoy It
Employ It
Millenials
View of Heroes
Veterans/Builders Babe Ruth/FDR
Boomers
JFK/MLK/John Glenn
Generation X
Kurt Kobain/Michael Jordan
Generation Y
NYPD/Parents/Grand/Bill
Gates/Tiger Woods
Millenials
Memories
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Marx Bros/Frank Sinatra
Beatles/Lassie/Drive-Ins
Snoop Dog/Beavis/REM
Trench Coat Mafia/Health/
Goo-Goo Dolls
Millenials
View of Future
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Rainy Day To Work For
Now is More Important
Uncertain/Hopeless
Ambivalent/Hopeful
Millenials
Theme toward Work
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Work Hard
Personal Fulfillment
Uncertainty
“What’s Next?”
Millenials
Theme toward Responsibility
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Duty
Optimism
Personal Focus
On My Terms
Millenials
Theme toward Workplace
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Sacrifice
Crusading Causes
Live for Today
Just Show Up
Millenials
Theme toward Money
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Thriftiness
Buy Now/Pay Later
Save, Save, Save
Earn to Spend
Millenials
Theme toward Work Output
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Work Fast
Work Efficiently
Eliminate the Task
Do Exactly What’s Asked
Millenials
Theme toward Core Values
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Respect for Authority
Involvement
Skepticism/Informality
Realism/Confidence
Millenials
Theme toward Family
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Traditional/Nuclear
Disintegrating
Latch-key Kids
Merged Families
Millenials
Theme toward Education
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
A Dream
A Birthright
A Way to Get There
An Incredible Expense
Millenials
Theme toward Media
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Rotary Phones
Touch Tone Phones
Cell Phones
Internet/Picture Phones
Millenials
Theme toward Personal Communications
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
One-on-One/Write Memo
Call Me Anytime
Call Me Only at Work
E-Mail or Text Me
Millenials
Theme toward Leadership Style
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Directive
Consensual/Collegial
Ask Why/Challenge Others
To Be Determined
Millenials
Theme toward Interactive Style
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Individual
Team Player/Loves Meetings
Entrepreneur
Participative
Millenials
Theme toward Feedback/Rewards
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
No News is Good News
$ and Title Recognition
Freedom is Best Reward
Meaningful Work
Millenials
Theme toward Messages that Motivate
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Your Experience is Respected
You’re Valued/Needed
Do It Your Way/Forget Rules
You Will Work with Other
Bright, Creative People
Millenials
Theme toward Work and Family Life
Veterans/Builders
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Never Meet
No Balance/Work to Live
Balance
Balance
Millenials
Any Questions?
Millenials
A Closer Look
Dr. Don Jenrette
Air Force Reserve Command