I__. - International Military Testing Association

project in order to reduce travel costs. Data gathering involves extensive
interviews and observation of skilled specialty technicians. Analysts will
draw from the experience of specialty instructors at technical training
centers and will also travel to various MAJCOMs and bases that employ personnel
in the specialty under study. Specific locations are determined through
meetings with functional managers and will include enough bases to ensure a
thorough sampling. Travel is confined to the continental United States
unless unique specialty units are located overseas. The detailed task infor-
mation gathered during these trips is collected with laptop computers and
entered into automated files. The data then become the basis for the train-
ing requirements summarized in the TRA.
Analysts track the results of each TRA through an extensive external evalua-
tion program that routinely surveys product recipients. User information
received over the past two years indicates TRAs are extremely useful and
serve many purposes. Enlisted personnel account for 80% of the users which
is understandable since most analyses are conducted on enlisted specialties.
Civilians account for 15% while officers account for the remaining 5%. TRAs
are typically used to develop or revise OJT program.s, produce specialty
training standards and criterion objectives, justify the procurement of
training resources, and standardize training programs. TRAs have also been
used to support career field mergers, determine cross utilization of training
programs, and to support Utilization and Training Workshops (U&TWs).
Conclusion
USAFOMS programs impact on virtually every aspect of today’s Air Force:’
Determining service entry criteria, setting aptitude requirements for occupational
'specialties, establishing criteria for job-specific training programs,
and providing the foundation for a fair and objective promotion system. The
future holds new challenges as well, including the possibility of an on-line
occupational information system which permits analysis across weapon systems,
training information which supports both large- and small-scale programs
which are job-specific and cost-effective, and continued improvement of the
promotion system. Key to all future developments is the recognition that
success has come from the operational application of research in industrial
psychology and improvements must follow a similar track: research and validation
prior to implementation.
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