Trainers involved in DOD project to improve ASVAB effectiveness Published March 11, 2009 By Nancy Marant and Maj. Brad Schrumpf 336th Training Squadron KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, BILOXI, MISS. -- The 81st Training Group is playing a role in a Department of Defense project that aims to improve the effectiveness of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery that selects and classifies recruits to the right jobs. Last October, the 81st TRG was selected to participate in the Information-Communication Technology Literacy Test Validation Project. This project evaluates new tests for potential inclusion into the ASVAB that would distinguish students with high ICT aptitudes and flag Airmen for future cyber jobs. In January, the 332nd, 335th and 336th Training Squadrons stepped up to assist in the DOD project. If successful, the initiative will produce a new and better way for selecting Airmen that pursue specific Air Force Specialty Codes. Testing experts conducted a technical review panel on ASVAB that came up with the idea to assess whether changes could improve the ASVAB's effectiveness in selecting and classifying recruits to the right jobs. If improvement is realized, training and operational attrition could be reduced, overall person-job matches could be improved and retention and mission performance could be increased. Panel reviewers recommended adding an information-communication technology proficiency test to the ASVAB. With plans in hand, the AFPC force management liaison office, together with Air Force testing policy, took the lead on the test development of for the DOD project. During the initial phase, input was gathered from several subject matter experts on the knowledge and skills to test. An item test pool was developed to create the test, which was then administered to basic military training recruits to get a general sense of the difficulty and effectiveness of the questions. Once this first phase was completed, AFPC's field activities division identified several career fields that train at Keesler to participate in the test validation, including network infrastructure systems (2E2X1), satellite, wideband and telemetry systems (2E1X1), ground radio communications (2E1X3), knowledge operations management (3A0X1), communications-computer systems operations (3C0X1), network integration/tech control (3C2X1) and personnel (3S0X1). Through coordination with AFPC's field activities division, 2nd Air Force and 81st TRG, the 332nd TRS, 335th TRS, and 336th TRS had the opportunity to proctor the ICT test surveys. In December, trainers from the selected courses met with Brian Chasse of AFPC who provided information and directed overall objectives for the project. In January, the course proctors began to administer the surveys to students. Tech. Sgt Carrie-Ann Pogue, communications-computer systems training flight superintendent, explained, "Testing takes place the first day the students arrive for class. We go through orientation, then administer the test survey which takes about an hour. After administering the test, we have about 30 minutes of administrative work to complete to ensure we received all test materials back from the students and all areas have been filled in. Finally, we mail the tests back to Air Education and Training Command's field activities division." Testing should be completed by mid-June. The goal is to test a statistical sample of at least 180 trainees for each AFSC before beginning their specific 3-level courses. After ICT test data collection, AETC will analyze technical training grades and test scores from each surveyed student to ensure test effectiveness in measuring aptitudes that will predict future training success in these areas. If findings are positive, they will continue to work with DOD to add these new test questions to the ASVAB to ensure a better fit for future technical trainees.