Because reading requirements for many military occupations are substantial, reading ability of recruits is important.The reading grade level (RGL) is estimated by converting the ASVAB verbal composite score to its RGL equivalent. [1] Table 2.9 shows that the mean RGL for FY 1999 recruits was at a level that would be expected of an 11th grade student, compared to 10th grade level for the average FY 1984 accession.

 

Table 2.9.  Mean Reading Grade Level of FY 1984–1999 Active Component NPS Accessions,By Service, and 1980 Civilians 18–23 Years Old
Fiscal Year	Army	Navy	Marine Corps	Air Force	DoD		1980 Civilian Youth Population
1984	10.0	10.2	9.8	10.5		10.1	10.3
1985	10.6	10.5	10.1	10.8		10.6
1986	11.2	11.0	11.1	11.4		11.1
1987	11.2	11.1	11.2	11.6		11.2
1988	11.2	11.1	11.2	11.5		11.2
1989	11.1	11.0	11.2	11.4		11.2
1990	11.2	11.1	11.2	11.7		11.3
1991	11.4	11.0	11.3	11.7		11.3
1992	11.5	11.4	11.3	11.7		11.5
1993	11.5	11.5	11.2	11.8		11.5
1994	11.4	11.3	11.2	11.7		11.4
1995	11.3	11.3	11.2	11.7		11.4
1996	11.3	11.3	11.1	11.7		11.4
1997	11.2	11.2	11.1	11.6		11.3
1998	11.2	11.2	11.1	11.5		11.2
1999	11.0	11.1	11.1	11.2		11.1
Source:  1980 civilian youth population data from the Profile of American Youth (Washington, DC: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense [Manpower, Reserve Affairs, and Logistics], March 1982); and Waters, et al., Estimating the Reading Skills of Military Applicants:  The Development of an ASVAB to RGL Conversion Table (Alexandria, VA:  Human Resources Research Organization, October 1988).

Differences in RGL were relatively small in FY 1999, with mean RGLs ranging from 11.0 for the Army to 11.2 for the Air Force.The 1980 nationally representative sample of 18- to 23-year-olds, on whom ASVAB scores are based, read at a mean 10th grade level.