Technical b r Report - International Military Testing Association

operational use of the new ACB
The use of the new ACB has gone through two phases already in its
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short life. In the two months of May and June, a separate AFQT was
administered to all Army m~lc applicants. Beginning l,.'July, experimental
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mental standards were adopted by the Army in which AFQT was dropped as a
separate test, and an AFQT score is obtained from the ACB. The experimental
mental standards were also changed:.on 1 July to require one aptitude area score
of 90 or better for high school graduates and two scores of 90 or better for non- .
graduates, in addition to a percentile score of 10 or better on the AFQT ob-
tained from the ACB.
The new aptitude areas made the experimental standards possible. Since
each one contains some measure of general mental ability, plus specific
aptitude measures, a qualifying score of 90 is more indicative of ability to
succeed. The old aptitude arcas did not nieasure enough general ccntal abiiity
to use with the same degree of confidence. As of the time of writing no
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decision has been made about which standards to/use as the official ones.
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The hCB is no*r‘ given at tlfe time of application of enlistment, which
provides the recruiter, counselor and applicant with the best possible
information about the applicants mental qualifiiations and the job arcas
in which he is best qualified.
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The tests are adninfstcrcd at AFEES or by Eobile Examining Teams.
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KETs, who take the tests to the applicant. The entire battery requires
about three hours to administer, which is long!= than the previous testing
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time at AFEES, but the extra tims is well spent. The new recruit actually
spends less time in testing than before. He used to spend up to eight
hours between AFEES and reception stations taking tests, but now he
spends only the three hours at AFEES, plus another half-hour taking the
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