Research for Type A

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How OPTEMPO, Crew Turnover, and Material Condition Affect the Training Readiness of Surface Combatants
March 1, 1989
This research memorandum analyzes the probability that surface combatants, specifically frigates and destroyers, begin deployment fully combat ready in training. Full combat readiness in training is defined as C1 status in the Status of Reference and Training System (SORTS). The analysis examines the relationships between deploying C1 in training and various measures of the ship's operating tempo before deployment, enlisted crew turnover, and the material condition of the ship in the months before deployment.
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Medical Manpower Shortages and the Retention of Navy Physicians
March 1, 1989
Navy medicine is unable to meet the demand for services. Navy hospitals could handle more cases but there is a significant manpower shortage. One possible contributor to Navy medicine's manpower problem is the low continuation rates of Navy physicians. This research memorandum examines the retention of Navy physicians in the aggregate, by career phase, and by specialty.
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Analysis of Data Quality for the Infantry Phase of the Marine Corps Job Performance Measurement Project
March 1, 1989
All large-scale data collection efforts must contend with the issue of data quality. This research memorandum examines the quality of data collected for the infantry portion of the Marine Corps Job Performance Measurement Project. Particular attention is focused on data inconsistencies and imputation of missing data.
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A Maximum Likelihood Procedure for Developing a Common Metric in Item-Response Theory
February 1, 1989
Because the ability scale in item-response theory is arbitrary, if two item pools are calibrated in two different samples, their parameter estimates must be placed on a common metric using items administered in both calibrations. In this memorandum, a maximum-likelihood procedure for doing so is illustrated.
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The Role of Student Quality in A-School Training Attrition: Trends in Selected Ratings
January 1, 1989
This research memorandum examines the extent and nature of attrition from initial skill (A-school) training in selected samples of technical and non-technical ratings. The influence of recruit-quality characteristics on both academic and nonacademic attrition rates is discussed. In addition, the analysis examines how attrition varies by type of A-school training and how it has changed over time.
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A Comparison of Linear and Equipercentile Test Equating Procedures in Large Samples
December 1, 1988
Scores on new forms of a test are equated to those on an old form. Two common equating procedures are linear and equipercentile. Cross-validation is used to show that, with sample sizes of 6500 and above, equipercentile equating is preferable to linear for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.
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A Comparison of Three Procedures for Operational Calibration of the ASVAB
December 1, 1988
Scores on new forms of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery are equated to those on form 8a, using samples of about 2500 recruits per form. Three equating procedures are compared in terms of how well their results are cross-validated in large applicant samples.
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Mathematical Relationships Between Pay Grade Structure, Longevity, and Promotion Policy
December 1, 1988
During the derivation of manpower requirements and personnel management policies, it is quite possible to specify a pay grade profile, longevity distribution, and promotion policy that are inconsistent and cannot be simultaneously satisfied. This research memorandum describes precise conditions under which particular specifications of pay grade structure, longevity, and promotion policy lead to an executable force structure. In particular, it is shown that a too stringent 'up or out' policy leads to an unexecutable force structure.
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Navy Enlisted Classification Requirements and Inventories
November 1, 1988
This research memorandum presents information on Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) inventories and assignments between 1979 and 1987, and on NEC requirements between 1984 and 1987. It also examines three ratios: the ratio of matched assignments to inventory, the ratio of inventory to requirements, and the ratio of assignments to requirements. The first ratio measures the rate of NEC utilization; the second measures the fraction of requirements that could be filled; and the third measures the fraction of requirements that are being filled. At the aggregate level, the paper discusses values of these variables and ratios in each year and changes in them over time. At the NEC level, it presents distributions of NECs across values of the variables and shifts in the distributions over time.
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Two Consequences of Improving a Test Battery
October 1, 1988
Replacement of a paper-pencil test battery with a computerized adaptive version is likely to increase reliabilities of the subtests. This leads to an increase in the variances of composite scores, and to lower mean scores for subgroups whose average scores are already below those of the general population. These results are illustrated with a computer simulation.
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