Although admittedly shy and more comfortable as an attentive listener, Tom Stewart is also friendly and accommodating. He graciously agreed to share his thoughts about some of the important experiences in his life. Tom is that rare bird, a native Floridian, from West Palm Beach, 68 miles north of his Miami home. He received a Bachelor of Chemical…

A study estimated the impacts of returning to a draft on the federal budget, the effectiveness of the active-duty force, and the civilian economy. It investigated how industrialized countries raise and manage their armed forces. Experts offered arguments on the purported advantages and disadvantages of a force comprised of volunteers only, as…

An examination of recruits' job preferences revealed that recruits were not firm in their choices and that choices and aptitude were not necessarily related. (Author)

The progress reports on the second STINFO (Scientific and Technical Information) Conference show developments in various areas of research. The conference stressed the importance of past and future improvements in technology, management, user analysis, coordination with governmental agencies on various levels, evaluation methods, selective…

Ways in which systems thought can be employed in military social work and social work in general are discussed. A four tiered effort is suggested in which each level successively comes closer to the problem of effectively using systems thought. First it calls for gaining sufficient familiarity with a systems perspective as a way of looking at…

Objective job satisfaction questionnaires were administered to more than 26,000 U.S. Marines, as part of the Marine Corps' occupational task analysis of 16 separate occupational groups over a three-year period. Results indicate that intrinsic job factors are more potent than extrinsic factors, both as satisfiers and as dissatisfiers. Satisfaction…

A weighted factors promotion system was field tested and validated using data from the FY 69-B promotion cycle of the Alaskan Air Command. The final sample included 2,290 promotion-eligible airmen in grades E-3 through E-6. The weighted factors composite score, excluding a promotion board component, gave airmen the same relative rank within…

An opinion survey method for identifying low aptitude job types was developed and used in a study of 11 Air Force career ladders. Lists of low aptitude tasks were defined by technical advisers. These tasks were then rated on nine factors by Air Force instructors who also described low aptitude job types and gave their opinion concerning the…

The USAF Substance Abuse Seminar represents a new phase of preventative drug and alcohol abuse education. The seminar includes: Air Force Drug/Alcohol Abuse Control policies; local conditions regarding substance abuse; sociopharmacology concerning the status of substances relative to their effects; and personal responsibility in the use of…

Describes the literacy training provided by the Armed Forces as both minimal and dehumanizing, with an overriding emphasis on training young, disadvantaged recruits to perform necessary tasks without any thought or analysis. (GC)

This study focused on non-use of Air Force Family Support Centers (FSCs), a global network of programs and services designed to facilitate family adaptation to the mobile military lifestyle and to help commanders and supervisors respond to family needs. The study used the 1993 Air Force Needs Assessment Survey to investigate what factors…

Near illiterates were draft exempt until the Army discovered it could teach them to read and write well enough to be fit for the service with the multimedia system described in this article. (LS)

Provides portions of data from 23,000 enlisted men in terms of their recreational activities. (MB)

The author suggests that progress will not be made in Disarmament talks unless the present negative concepts are replaced by positive measures of international cooperation. (EJS)

Compared the program characteristics of the postgraduate general dentistry (PGD) training programs sponsored by the military and the Veterans Health Administration (VA). Gathered information on program infrastructure and emphasis, resident preparation prior to entering the program, and patients served and types of services provided. Programs…