Technical b r Report - International Military Testing Association

The Enlisted Evaluation Center is the major oper%\ing clcmcnt of the
formal enlisted evaluation system. It ~3s established in 1958 as a Class
2 activity of the Army. Its primary purpose then was to help the Army
manage the proficiency pay program, which had been esttiblishcd in response
to the rccommcndations of the Cordiner Committee--the LDcfcnsc Advisory
Committee on Profcssionsl and Technical Compensation-Fin 1956 and 1957.
Monctnry incentives wcrc one of the Committee’s proposals designed
to improve personnel retention and job motivation among trained technical
specialties and, at the same time,, stimulate higher quality performance
among 311 enlisted personnel. Proficiency pay, as a concept; emanated
from this Committee recommendation. Ilowcvcr, an underlying principle of
this concept was that proficiency pay must bc directly rclatcd to the
dcmonjtrntcd lcvcl of proficiency and must bc contingent upon periodic
checks to ensure maintenance of that proficiency. The Army enlisted
evaluation system was developed to meet +.his rcquircmcnt.
ARMY ENLISTED EVALUATION SYSTEM
The cnlistcd evaluation system consists of two major components:
(a) evaluation of the enlisted man’s knowlcdgc of the various duties that
arc rcquircd at his skill lcvcl in his NOS. as, indicated by MOS evaluation
tests and performnncc tests; and (b) evaluation of performance in the
currently assigned duty position, as indicated by supervisory ratings on
the enlisted evaluation report (see Figure 1). , A rating system is applied
to the scores obtnincd on thcsc instruments, and it is used to compute a
composite sccrc for taking individual personnel actions. This MOS cvaluation
score indicates the individual’s relative standing nmong thdse evaluated
in the same MOS and skiJJ level and in the same py grade. It is
used to verify MS qualification, to assist inj determining promotion eligibility,
to award proficiency p3y, to guide remedial training, and in a
variety of other pcrsonncl 3ctions.
PROFICIENCY TESTING "AREA &ORES"
The characteristics of the MOS proficicndy testing program will not
be detailed hcrcin, but one particuiar aspcct’of the ?X)S‘proficicncy test
program directly rclcvant to this paper vi11 bc considered--the MOS “major
area” scores. Ikuzh MOS evaluation test is or,ganized into six to nine
major nrcns; that is, six to nine subscorcs .I The six major 3rcas for an
Infantry scnicr sergeant, for cxamplc, arc wcapors, tactics, field activi- -
ties, unit dcfcnsc, administration, and personnel accounting. Study
references from Army regulations, pamphlets, field and technical manuals,
and other manuals arc coded to each of the major areas in an accompanying
study guide so that each soldier can locate the print.ed materials upon
which the test is b3scd. Ile cay study these reference tcntcrials to improve
his knoulcd!:c and performance.
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