Replication of Zeidner, Johnson, and Colleagues' Method for Estimating Army Aptitudes Area (AA) Composites

To select and classify recruits to entry-level jobs, the Army employs nine Aptitude Area (AA) composites that are derived from the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). Effective January 2002, the Army adopted an "interim" set of nine AA composites based on empirically estimated weights for a seven ASVAB test battery. Zeidner, Johnson, and colleagues had developed these "Interim" composites as part of ongoing research into improved military classification systems. The purpose of the present study was to independently replicate and document - as a prerequisite for subsequent evaluation - the Zeidner, Johnson, and colleagues' method, and previously reported results, for the 9,17, and 150 composites comprising their proposed classification system. Following Zeidner, Johnson, and colleagues' method, the present study successfully reproduced the 9, 17, and 150 composites. These findings support the operational use of the 9 "interim" composites, as well as the use of the 9/ 171150 composites in future research and policy analysis evaluating the potential of the proposed two-tiered classification system to substantially improve Army-wide classification and assignment.Human Resources Research Organization Alexandria VA is the author of 'Replication of Zeidner, Johnson, and Colleagues' Method for Estimating Army Aptitudes Area (AA) Composites', published 2004 under ISBN 9781423519126 and ISBN 1423519124.