Recruit Aptitudes and Army Job Performance. Setting Enlistment Standards for Infantrymen.

Abstract

Presents findings from a study of the relationship between observable characteristics of military enlistees and their subsequent job performance, and the use of those relationships in a model for setting enlistment standards. Two performance measures are examined: retention (what portion of the initial enlistment tour is completed), and job proficiency. Recruit aptitudes are important predictors of success on the Army's Skill Qualification Test for infantrymen, and on earlier experimental hands-on tests for four other Army jobs. The performance results are combined with recent data on Army recruiting, training, and force-maintenance costs in a cost-performance trade-off model. The model yields an optimal enlistment standard for the Infantryman speciality that is close to that adopted in fiscal year 1981, and a quality mix for entering recruits about the same as the mix mandated by Congress. Adopting optimal standards Army-wide could cost $100 to $200 million. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1982
Accession Number
ADA140961

Entities

People

  • D. J. Armor
  • D. Schwarzbach
  • K. Bers
  • R. L. Fernandez

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Attrition
  • Basic Training
  • Business Administration
  • Cost Effectiveness
  • Cost Estimates
  • Employment
  • Enlisted Personnel
  • Human Behavior
  • Management Personnel
  • Molecular Orbital Theory
  • Organizational Structure
  • Performance Tests
  • Personnel Management
  • Recruiting
  • Recruits
  • Time Intervals
  • Vietnam War

Readers

  • Life Cycle Cost Analysis
  • Naval Personnel Management
  • Psychometric Testing or Psychological Assessment.