Air Force Special Warfare (AFSPECWAR) employs a rigorous selection process to ensure its operators possess the nontechnical attributes needed for demanding missions. The authors evaluate AFSPECWAR's assessment and selection practices to determine their effectiveness. They then propose courses of action that align with best practices for designing standardized assessments and facilitating objective decisions.

Assessment and Selection for U.S. Air Force Special Warfare

Vol. 2, Evaluating Objectives and Considering Improvements

Tracy C. Krueger, Sean Robson, Matthew Walsh, Anthony Atler, Beverly A. Weidmer, Matt Strawn, Lewis Schneider, Lisa Pelled Colabella, Yuliya Shokh, Tiffany Berglund

ResearchPublished Sep 9, 2024

Air Force Special Warfare (AFSPECWAR) is a ground combat force that specializes in applying airpower. AFSPECWAR implements a rigorous assessment and selection process to ensure its operators possess the essential nontechnical attributes needed for physically and mentally challenging missions in global access, precision strike, and personnel recovery. This report focuses on the Guardian Angel/Special Tactics (GA/ST) assessment and selection (A&S) course. Candidates who successfully complete the course are assigned to specific career fields and undergo further specialized training.

The GA/ST A&S course provides a holistic evaluation of each candidate through simulations of real-world training and operational environments as well as other assessments. In this report, the authors evaluate AFSPECWAR's practices to determine whether they are effective in meeting four primary objectives: selection, realistic job preview, culture, and reach-back experience. The authors propose courses of action for aligning GA/ST A&S course design and execution with best practices for standardizing assessments and facilitating objective decisions. They also evaluate the need for additional screening measures for Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) specialists who do not undergo the GA/ST A&S course.

Key Findings

AFSPECWAR has four primary objectives for its GA/ST A&S course: selection, realistic job preview, culture, and reach-back experience

  • Using valid constructs reduces hiring risks and predicts training progression and performance, but a different strategy could be used to select operators with prior AFSPECWAR experience.
  • A&S simulations effectively encourage self-selection and establish realistic expectations, but AFSPECWAR could better integrate certain operational conditions to reflect real-world environments and increase the fidelity of training.
  • GA/ST A&S provides candidates with feedback on their strengths and weaknesses, which fosters a culture of continuous learning, but more transparency and enforcement of A&S standards may be needed to address instructor concerns about candidates' commitment to high performance.
  • GA/ST A&S is supposed to be challenging to prepare candidates for future success. Candidate survey responses show that the course builds confidence and commitment among those who complete it; however trust among the AFSPECWAR operational and training communities is mixed.
  • Performance evaluations from peers and instructors indicate performance deficiencies, underscoring the importance of implementing some form of assessment and selection for these roles.

Recommendations

  • Ensure alignment between A&S course objectives, course design, and the candidate population, permitting operators with prior AFSPECWAR experience to undergo a separate A&S process.
  • Improve measurement of attributes through revised scales, events, and training, with an emphasis on improving rater training and creating new measures for certain nontechnical attributes.
  • Implement some method of assessment and selection for TACP.
  • Establish systematic practices and assign responsibilities for data management, from improving data capture to using consistent naming conventions and establishing validation checks.
  • Refine integration and documentation of data inputs on candidate performance to enhance the reproducibility and transparency of data used to inform selection decisions.
  • Continue to evaluate the effectiveness of the GA/ST A&S course, be prepared to make future modifications to better meet objectives, and communicate changes to key stakeholders (e.g., squadron commanders, senior enlisted advisers, and team leaders).
  • Consider the broader talent management system in relation to the GA/ST A&S course to identify factors contributing to poor performance.

Order a Print Copy

Format
Paperback
Page count
162 pages
List Price
$56.00
Buy link
Add to Cart

Topics

Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Available
  • Year: 2024
  • Print Format: Paperback
  • Paperback Pages: 162
  • Paperback Price: $56.00
  • Paperback ISBN/EAN: 1-9774-1403-6
  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.7249/RRA1199-1
  • Document Number: RR-A1199-1

Citation

RAND Style Manual
Krueger, Tracy C., Sean Robson, Matthew Walsh, Anthony Atler, Beverly A. Weidmer, Matt Strawn, Lewis Schneider, Lisa Pelled Colabella, Yuliya Shokh, and Tiffany Berglund, Assessment and Selection for U.S. Air Force Special Warfare: Vol. 2, Evaluating Objectives and Considering Improvements, RAND Corporation, RR-A1199-1, 2024. As of October 8, 2024: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1199-1.html
Chicago Manual of Style
Krueger, Tracy C., Sean Robson, Matthew Walsh, Anthony Atler, Beverly A. Weidmer, Matt Strawn, Lewis Schneider, Lisa Pelled Colabella, Yuliya Shokh, and Tiffany Berglund, Assessment and Selection for U.S. Air Force Special Warfare: Vol. 2, Evaluating Objectives and Considering Improvements. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2024. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1199-1.html. Also available in print form.
BibTeX RIS

Research conducted by

The research described in this report was commissioned by Second Air Force (2AF) and conducted within the Workforce, Development, and Health Program of RAND Project AIR FORCE (PAF).

This publication is part of the RAND research report series. Research reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND research reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity.

This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited; linking directly to this product page is encouraged. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial purposes. For information on reprint and reuse permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.

RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.