Recruits' Military Preferences and Their Accommodation by the Military Services.

Abstract : The principal objective was to provide information on recruits' military occupational preferences, match of military assignments to recruits' preferences, and changes that occur in these preferences between service entry and completion of basic training. Questionnaires were administered to recruits from four services just before classification interviewing and eight weeks later after initial military assignment. Small proportions of recruits' first choices were found to coincide with initial assignments in terms of DOD occupational groups. However, over 60% received assignments to DOD occupational areas to which they gave relatively high interest ratings. Perhaps, for this reason, most men expressed satisfaction with their initial assignments. Recruits considered the services did relatively well in getting and using information on aptitudes and educational background, but not so well on getting and using information on preferences and preservice work. Recruits need improved knowledge of the military work areas.