Workplace Experiences Survey of Military Members
The WESM is a congressionally mandated survey of military members that provides the DoD’s official estimates of the prevalence of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and unwanted sexual contact in the Military.
Prior to 2025, OPA research products used the term “gender” to describe men and women. These groups were defined using survey items and/or administrative data categories for “male” and “female”; therefore, references to gender should be understood to mean “sex”.
About the Survey
The Workplace Experiences Survey of Military Members (WESM) is a biennial, Congressionally mandated survey that provides the DoD’s official estimates of the prevalence of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and unwanted sexual contact in the U.S. Military.
The WESM is a confidential survey of military members serving on active duty or in the Reserve/National Guard. The results of the survey inform leaders throughout the DoD, the military Service branches, and Congress on the progress being made to prevent and respond to sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and unwanted sexual contact in the U.S. Military. The WESM provides critical insights regarding the characteristics of these incidents, Service member experiences with reporting, and perceptions of unit culture and command climate. Senior leaders frequently refer to data from the WESM to support policy and program improvements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did you pick me?OPA uses well-established, scientific procedures to randomly select a sample that represents the Defense community based on combinations of demographic characteristics (e.g., Service, race and ethnicity, paygrade, sex).
Why does the survey ask personal questions?Sometimes sensitive questions are asked in order to improve personnel policies, programs, and practices. As with all questions on the survey, your responses are confidential.
Will my answers be kept private?All data will be reported in the aggregate and no individual data will be reported. We encourage you to safeguard your Ticket Number to prevent unauthorized access to your survey. In addition, to ensure your privacy, please be aware of the environment in which you take the survey (e.g., take the survey when no one else can see your computer screen, take care to not leave the survey site on your computer screen unattended). Survey responses received are confidential. However, if you indicate a direct threat to harm yourself or others within responses or communications about the survey, because of concern for your welfare, OPA may notify an office in your area for appropriate action.
Do I have to answer all the questions?No, it is not necessary to answer every question. You can skip any question that you prefer not to answer.
Do I have to participate in the survey since it is Congressionally mandated?No. The Department is required to conduct this survey, but your participation is completely voluntary. You may choose not to participate and can opt out of the survey at any time. You may also skip over any questions you do not wish to answer. If you do not wish to participate or receive additional reminders about this survey, you may opt out by contacting OPA’s Survey Processing Center at 1-800-881-5307. You must provide your ticket number to do so.
How is this different than the Defense Organizational Climate Survey (DEOCS)?You may encounter similar questions on the DEOCS and WESM, however, the information you provide will be used by different leaders and for different purposes. The DEOCS is a tool for your commander to understand and take action to address climate within your unit. The WESM is a Congressionally mandated survey used by the Department’s senior leaders to understand the health and well-being of military members and to shape future policies. These surveys are both critical opportunities for you to provide your input. The surveys are independent from one another—your responses on the DEOCS will not be included in the WESM and your responses on the WESM will not be included on the DEOCS, even if you accessed this survey from the prompt at the end of the DEOCS. It is important that your voice be heard on both surveys.