Investigations into Army Enlisted Classification Systems: Concurrent Validation Report

摘要

The Army faces a number of personnel needs as it transforms to meet the challenges of today and the near future. To meet these challenges, the Army is seeking recommendations on predictor measures, in particular measures of non- cognitive attributes (e.g., interests, values, and temperament), that could be administered to enhance Soldier selection and classification decisions. The U. S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI) conducted a Concurrent Validation (CV) research effort to advance this objective. The objectives of this research were twofold: (1) to examine the value of using new, experimental predictor measures to select recruits into the Army; and (2) to investigate the potential of new, experimental predictor measures to enhance the classification of recruits into entry-level jobs. Criterion measures and experimental predictors were administered to 424 first- term Active Army Soldiers representing five military occupational specialties (MOS): (a) 11B Infantryman, (b) 19K Armor Crewman, (c) 25U Signal Support Systems Specialist, (d) 63B Light Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic, and (e) 68W Health Care Specialist. The value of the experimental predictor measures to enhance recruit selection and classification were examined. Overall, the results indicate that the experimental predictors show potential to increment the existing Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) for the purposes of selecting recruits into the Army and classifying them into entry-level jobs.