Development and Validation of Measures for Selecting Soldiers for the Officer Candidate School
Abstract
The objectives of this project were to (a) develop and validate a predictor battery to identify OCS applicants with the most leadership potential, the best fit with the Army, and the greatest likelihood of staying in the Army and (b) investigate the outcomes of the two different avenues to OCS, namely the enlistment-option program (i.e., recruitment of civilians with a college degree) and the in-service program (i.e., the selection of enlisted Soldiers). The predictor battery (i.e., Officer Background and Experience Form, or OBEF) included measures of temperament, affectivity, values, and leadership judgment. The OBEF was validated against several criterion measures -- OCS class performance data, attitudinal data, and career intentions gathered at the beginning and end of each class. Results were remarkably similar for the enlistment-option and in-service candidates. The OBEF scales added significantly to the prediction of affective commitment, career intentions, and OCS scores for leadership, fitness, and the total score. Future research should cross-validate these results and develop guidelines for using the OBEF for OCS selection, including how and when it would be administered and what the cut scores should be.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA548454
Entities
People
- Teresa L. Russell
- Trueman Tremble
Organizations
- Human Resources Research Organization