Surveys confidential or not?

2014-05-06T15:11:58-04:00

In the past several months I've received an increased number of surveys in my inbox that someone somewhere wants me to fill out. The surveys reach a variety of topics from quality of life to warrior tasks and drills. What I find interesting is if I choose to ignore a survey that alleges confidentiality...I get 3-4 more emails asking me to do the survey. Once I do the survey I no longer receive the emails. So I find myself wondering if they are really confidential how do they know if I've done it or why is it the emails stop as soon as I do it. This doesn't scream confidential to me....

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made May 6 at 2014 3:18 PM

2014-05-06T15:18:21-04:00

It's an automated system that tracks responses. It knows what emails surveys were sent to, and which emails have activity associated with them. All the answers are collected and collated, but your name isn't attached to it.

Response by PO1 Joseph Feldhaus made May 6 at 2014 4:20 PM

2014-05-06T16:20:25-04:00

The surveys are stored in a database where the tables for the survey results is independent from the users name data table. When you log in and complete the survey your info is marked completed on the user table, but there is no key used to link the name to the data, so the survey data is kept anonymous. The fact that you took the survey is not anonymous.