ABSTRACT
The first step in evaluating any program or system is to identify the goals that the program or system was designed to achieve. The process of selecting and classifying enlisted personnel is complex and costly. Across all of the Services, more than 200,000 youth were enlisted last year and were assigned to fill positions in well over 500 jobs. Defense remains a very significant area of investment for our federal resources and the return on the investment is a function of the quality of our Armed Forces. Selection and classification (S&C) decisions are the first step in determining that quality. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss specific goals of S&C classification decisions for military enlistees, in order to provide a starting point for evaluating our current system and alternatives.
