The Army's Test of One Station Unit Training

A yearlong Army test of a concept for providing basic and advanced training at one station under a single cadre was monitored.

In order to implement the one station unit training, many current training centers would be closed and new construction costing about $300 million would be necessary. The test results show that under the one station concept the training cycle can be reduced by tailoring the training program to what is necessary for initial entry-level skills. The test did not, however, examine whether similar reductions in the cycle would be attained if a tailored program were used for basic training at one station followed by advanced training at another station. The Army did not attempt to shorten the duration of the present initial entry training for infantry to see if adequate training could be achieved with a savings of cost and time. The training centers did not control or measure the effect of unequal treatment or uncontrolled factors, which could have biased test results. Weaknesses in test design and implementation and the absence of control over other factors also produced test results which do not show the relative merits of alternate methods of training. Without data on whether this training is more effective and economical than other methods of training recruits, neither the Army nor the Congress can determine which method is better based on the Army's test. The results of the test are questionable. (Author/SC)