The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a set of tests used by the US military to assess potential recruits’ suitability. Students in high school, particularly in their junior and senior years, typically take this test battery. Anyone else who could otherwise enlist is welcome to take the battery. The battery includes tests that assess knowledge, cognitive reasoning skills, and stress responses. Each branch of the US military uses a different ASVAB-based metric to determine eligibility, and the tests can also be used to assess aptitude for civilian jobs.
Since 1976, the ASVAB has been used by every branch of the US military to determine suitability for enlistment. Tests in vocabulary, mathematics, reading comprehension, and technical knowledge are among the battery’s components. The Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT), which each of the US military branches uses to determine suitability, is made up of scores from four of the battery’s tests.
The ASVAB and the AFQT both use normalized scores, so the AFQT number reflects how well an individual performed in comparison to other test takers. Those who score below the 10th percentile are prohibited from enlisting by law, but each branch has its own AFQT minimum score. Depending on the branch and whether the enlistee has a high school diploma or a general education development (GED) degree, the actual numbers required range from about 30 to 65. Unless they have completed a certain number of college level courses, enlistees with GEDs are typically held to a higher standard.
Aside from the AFQT score, which determines enlistment eligibility, the ASVAB’s other tests can be used to qualify a person for a specific military occupation specialty (MOS). The MOS of each soldier, airman, or marine is essentially his job, which can range from clerical work to mechanical maintenance to combat operations. A line, composite, or aptitude area score is required differently for each branch of the military and MOS. These different scores refer to different combinations of ASVAB test results.
The ASVAB’s various tests can also be used to determine aptitude for civilian careers. The majority of people who take the test battery are interested in pursuing a military career, but anyone who wants to take the test is usually permitted to do so. The battery assesses a wide range of theoretical and practical knowledge, with the results assisting in the selection of the best career path.