The roles of perseverance, cognitive ability, and physical fitness in U.S. Army special forces assessment and selection

Abstract

The U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI) conducted research for more than a decade in support of U.S. Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) assessment, selection, and training. This research was completed prior to the events of September 11, 2001. Leaders at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS) at Fort Bragg, NC, requested that ARI begin updating research in support of Special Forces. This report documents a new effort to understand better the roles of cognitive ability, physical fitness, and performance events in the Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) process. In addition, researchers identified a measure of perseverance, viewed as an individual Soldier characteristic, to include in the investigation at the SWCS's request. The 824 Candidates who participated in this research completed a series of cognitive ability tests, physical fitness measures, SFAS performance events, and the test of perseverance. The results showed that almost all the tests and measures included in the analyses contributed to valid predictions of Soldier success with SFAS, but that their individual strengths of prediction varied. The SFAS performance events provided the greatest predictive strength, followed by the cognitive ability and physical fitness tests. While perseverance provided a unique contribution, its role was incremental, at best, and should not be used as a criterion for selection decisions in isolation from the other measures. Taken together, the tests and measures form an empirically-sound foundation upon which SFAS decisions can be based. Once obtained and analyzed, the outcome data from the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) and subsequent training will provide a more complete view of how well the tests and measures included in this research predict long-term success in Army Special Forces.

Preparing Brigade Combat Team Soldiers for Mission Readiness Through Research on Intangible Psychological Constructs and Their Applications: Phase 1

“…In addition, it was associated with freshmen cadet retention during their first year of summer training at the U.S. Military Academy and final round spelling bee attainment. ARI used the Duckworth et al (2007) grit scale as part of a research effort that explored the extent to which perseverance contributed to a Soldier completing the Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) process and being selected for Special Forces (SF) training (Beal, 2010). Early in their analysis, the author determined that the consistency of interest subscale was not a significant predictor of SFAS selection.…”

“…However, findings from the remaining subscales indicated a significant positive (albeit weak) relationship between perseverance and SFAS completion. As such, the author recommended that the grit scale not be used on its own, but in conjunction with other measures to inform and support recruiting and selection decisions (Beal, 2010).…”

Medical Encounters During the United States Army Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course

“…SFAS is a 19- to 20-day extremely physically and mentally demanding course designed to determine whether or not soldiers are eligible to enter the Special Forces Qualification Course. The difficulty of the course is reflected by the facts that in a previous report as many as 40% of SFAS candidates voluntarily drop-out citing insufficient physical fitness to complete the required tasks 1 and final graduation rates are about 36%. 2 Candidates begin the course by taking a fitness test (push-ups, sit-ups, two-mile run, pull-ups and a swim test) and numerous psychological examinations.…”

Psychological hardiness predicts successful selection in a law enforcement special operations assessment and selection course

“…We examined hardiness as a predictor of successful selection in law enforcement special operations personnel. We hypothesized that DRS‐15 Total Hardiness scores would predict successful completion of a rigorous Assessment and Selection (A&S) course in United States (US) government special tactical law enforcement personnel, and increment beyond other predictors of successful selection such as age and cognitive ability (e.g., Beal, ; Johnsen et al, ). We also explored the contribution of DRS‐15 hardiness facets (Commitment, Control, and Challenge) to successful selection.…”