Armored 
Medical Research Laboratory 
FophT Knox, Kentucky 
First Partial Report On 
PROJECT HO. 8 - PRESELECTION TESTS 
INDORSATION CoPY 
Action copies have been forwarded to Require* 
meats Section, AGF for approval and execution* 
Project No. 8 
30 January 1943 ARMORED FORCE MEDICAL RESEARCH LABORATORY 
Fort Knox, Kentucky 
Project No. 8 
File No. 220.105 
January 20, 1943 
PARTIAL REPORT NUMBER I 
ON FRESEIECTION TESTS 
1. FfiDJIXT: Preselection Tests. 
a. Authority - First indorsement, dated November 26, 1942, by 
Commanding General, Headquarters Armored Force, Fort Knox, Kentucky, 
file 400.112/6 GNCHD, to letter by Armored Force Medical Research Laboratory 
dated November 10, 1942. 
b, Purpose - To determine the need for preselection tests. 
2c DISCUSSION: 
a0 Present selection of Army personnel is that which is achieved by 
examination procedures at the reception centers. Better initial selection will 
reduce wastage. In addition, suitable preselection of men in relation to the 
requirements of their tasks will materially shorten the training period and 
yield a more efficient unit. To do this, criteria of selection must be estab- 
lished and the mechanics of the test procedure set up. To prepare the criteria 
for selection and to apply them the following studies must be carried out: 
(1) An analysis of the existing situation to determine what the 
present method of selection achieves—-how well is the personnel selected by it 
suited to its tasks and, are the unfit screened out? 
(2) An analysis of certain specialized tasks within the Array to 
.define the physiological requirements needed to carry them out and an estima- 
tion of the advantages to be gained from selection of men of superior qualifica- 
tions for the tasks, (Job analysis) 
(3) An analysis of the physiological characteristics of personnel 
known to be exceptionally good at certain tasks to validate the conclusions 
obtained from a study of the jobs, 
(4) A study of the feasibility, and the advantage gained by 
screening out men who cannot fulfill tasks because of physiological limitations. 
(5) Finally, a study to determine the most practical procedure 
for carrying out the tests and placing the personnel. The method decided upon 
must be at least as effective as the process of elimination during training as 
now practiced, and must be far less time consuming and wasteful. 
1 b. The present report deals with item (l) above, namely, the 
adequacy of the present tecunique of selection. The data were obtained by an 
analysis of the board proceedings of the 12th Armored Division and from a 
statistical report of the Classification Section of that division. Detailed 
data is tabulated in the Appendix., The physical examination records of fillers 
do not accompany them from the induction centers. It was necessary for the 
division surgeon to re-examine every man to discover the defects. He did so on 
hife own initiative to prevent serious loss of time during the training period. 
This procedure should not be necessary. 
3o CONCLUSIONS: 
a. Of the 13,184 fillers received (supposedly fit for any duty), 
1237 were immediately reclassified as unfit for combat duty. 
bQ These men were reclassified solely on the basis of obvious 
physical defects (l.li for mental disorders). One-third (33t1/3p) of all defects 
necessitating reclassification were due to hernia or symptomatic flat feet, both 
of which are readily demonstrable. 
£, To this division were also sent $68 men (4*3;») who are illiterate. 
Of these, $0/0 came from the 4th and 8th Service Commands, 
do There was a marked difference between the percentage of rejections 
among men under 35 years of age as compared with men 35 and over. For the former, 
the percentage was 4.3, whereas for the older group 31«6$ were rejected. 
e_. Improvement in the quality of basic personnel sent to combat divi- 
sions is necessary. 
4- COMLiKT: Hie inadequacy of the induction centers for selection of men 
for combat service is apparent. If 9*4$ of fillers for a division are found cn 
arrival to be unfit for any tasks in a combat division, and another 4»3;-o are wholly 
illiterate, then the procedure which allowed them to be sent to a combat division 
is not satisfactory. Loreover, the examination of the fillers at this division 
was not comprehensive and additional reclassification during the training period 
is inevitable. Hie re will be much wastage and encumbement of training because 
of this. It is inescapable that improvement in the quality of basic personnel 
sent to divisions is necessary if sufficient raw material, for preselection tests 
that will place men, is to be had. Present practice is based on the assumption 
that because large numbers are dealt with, a sufficient number of efficient com- 
bat personnel will be found to carry' out the function of the division properly, 
despite the losses through initial reclassification and rejection, and the weed- 
ing-out during training. This practice is dangerous in that it wastes time and 
effort in training, it delays the procedure of organizing the division, and 
moreover permits the passing on of responsibility for proper examination of men 
by trie reception center to the division surgeon, 
' a. This situation can be corrected in several ways: 
(l) The Ground Force Command may request that the induction centers 
(Service of Supply) properly carry out the function of classifying men.* All Arms 
and Services will benefit therefrom. 
2 (2) The Ground Force Command may set uj classification centers 
with proper billeting areas for studying its quota of men before allocating 
them to the various units under its jurisdiction. In such an area special test 
procedures necessary for the selection of men- for any Arm or Service might be 
carried out. Artillery men. Tank Corps men. Reconnaissance men. Signal men, 
etc., could be selected for the divisions at such a center. All men whose 
physiological capacities would make it impossible to do such special jobs could 
be placed in less demanding circumstances. Such a procedure requires that the 
special needs of every Am or Service be determined and tests for them devised. 
This job will be materially simplified if the Service of Supply does its prelimi- 
nary selection job at induction*centers thoroughly, and then sends zhe physical 
and mental data with the’inductee to the Ground Force Classification Center'for 
its further use. Some duplication of effort by the two commands is desirable if 
all unfit personnel are to be weeded' out before combat training begins, 
(3) If all the various Arms and Services under the Ground Force 
Command are not yet ready to decide upon their own needs, more specialized 
classification cen ers for the Armored Force cr the Signal Corps or any other 
group, may be set up. Their function would be to select from their total allot- 
ment of fillers, men for the special jobs within that unit and to distribute them 
to their combat divisions accordingly0 
(4) Amplify the present Division Classification Center to include 
tests which will most adequately place men in jobs they can learn quickly' and do 
well. The present assumption that most of military work is sufficiently similar 
to some civilian occupations, that civilian experience may be used as a criterion 
for classification is unsodnd. Furthermore, with a large number of the present 
inductees falling into the 18-19 age group, there is no work experience upon which 
to judge the capacities of these men, and the present system falls down completely, 
(5) All of these alternatives require that the classification units 
be thoroughly trained to do this jobc Also, they should be under the direction of 
a research group who will continuously study the problems of the classification 
units and will validate the procedures used by analysis of the experience of men 
selected by them. 
5, RTCOldLSIDAT IDAS: 
<5, That no new man over 34 years of age be accepted by subsequently acti- 
vated combat divisions. This limit may be changed by other considerations at a 
later date, but setting it at this limit now will eliminate a very considerable 
amount of wasted time in divisions tc be activated in the near future 0 
b. That all available information on the causes of reclassification and 
CDD’s from other Armored divisions as they are activated be made available to the 
Armored Force Medical Research Laboratory for analysis. 
1 Incl. 
Appendix A 
Prepared by; 
Major Wm. F. Ashe, MC 
Tec. Paul Bohemian 
Division Surgeon, 12th AD 
APPROVED 
WILLARD MACHLE ’ * 
Lieut. Colo, Medical Corps, 
demanding. 
3 appendix a 
The attached sheets contain the detailed data from 'which this 
report was written. ORIGIN BY SSRVICS CCI3&AND OF 1237 KEN 
rECOIUGNDKD FOR KiSCL ASS IF IG AT ION OR C. D. D. 
(13,184 Fillers Received by 12th Armored Division) 
Service Command 
No. Men Received 
No. Men Rejected 
Percent Rejected 
From 
Each Service Command 
1 
499 
57 
11 o4 
2 
2542 
261 
10.3 
3 
, 1595 
132 
s.3 
4 
407 
32 
7.9 
5 
1949 
162 
8.6 
6 
2262 
194 
9.7 
7 • 
1764 
171 
10.9 
8 
792 
86 
9.6 
9 
1374 
130 
Area Not Ee- 
ported 
12 
TOTAL 
13,184 
1237 
9.4  -n!-;D raRCSKTAGEE DISTRIBUTION OF DEPOTS BY AGE 
(Among 1237 out of 13,164 Fillers Received by 12th Armored Division) 
Age Group 
No. of Defects 
Per Cent of Total 
No, of Defects 
18-19 
1 
0.1 
20-24 
268 
17o9 
25-29 
155 
10.3 
30-34 
12? 
8,5 
35-39 
195 
12.9 
40-44 
631 
42.0 
4 5-up 
91 
6.1' 
Age not Reported 
* 33 
2.2 
TOTAL 
1501 
100 % 
Total Number 
of Defects 
1501 
/ 
Total Number 
of Men Represented 
1237 
Average No. or defects per man 
lo21 PERCENTAGE OF ILLITERATES 
AMONG 13.184 FILLERS RECEIVED DY 12TH ARMORED DIVISION 
% 
SERVICE COMMAND ORIGIN 
NO. RECEIVED 
NO, ILLITERATE 
PERCENTAGE 
1st Service Command 
499 
14 
2.805 
2nd Service Command 
2542 
44 
• 
1.731 
3rd Service Command 
1595 
38 
2,383 
4th Service Command 
407 
77 
18.918 
5th Service Command 
1949 
50 
2.565 
6th Service Command 
2262 
118 
5.216 
7th Service Command 
1764 
36 
2.040 
8th Service Command 
792 
170 
21.464 
9th Service Command 
1374 
21 
1.528 
TOTAL 
13184 
568 
4.308 DISTRIBUTION BYAGE OF 1237 MSN RECOl&ENDED FOE RECLASSIFICATION OR CoD.D. 
(Out of 13,104 Fillers Received by 12th Armored Division) 
Men Received 
Men Rejected 
AGS GROUP 
Number 
Percent 
Number 
percent Rejected 
in Sach Group 
18-19 
256 
1.8 
T 
X 
0*4 
20-24 
7600 
54 oO 
228 
3o0 
25-29 
2118 
15.0 
126 
5o9 
30-34 
1304 
9.2 
101 
7.7 
35-39 
1216 
8,6 
159 
13.1 
40-44 
1164 
G.3 
517 
44.4 
45-Up 
140 
1.0 
73 
52.1 
Age not 
Reported 
300 
2,1 
32 
10.7 
TOTAL 
13,184 
100.0 
1237 
9o4 SUMMARY OF PHYSICAL DEFECTS 
Among the 1237 Een Recommended for Reclassification or C.D.D, 
PHYSICAL DEFECT 
DUMBER 
PEE CENT OF 
TOTAL NO. OF DEFECTS 
General Ihysical Condition 
300 
20 o0 
(Stamina, Agility, Obesity, 
Underweight) 
Feet Defective 
270 
I80O 
Hernia 
230 
15.3 
Gardio-Vascular Disorders 
197 
X3ol 
Teeth, Defective 
107 
7.1 
Secondary Results of Old Injuries 
106 
7.1 
Hearing, Defective 
55 
3.6 
Varicose Veins 
55 
3.6 
Miscellaneous Diseases 
46 
3.1 
Vision, Defective 
42 
2.8 
Skeletal and Muscular Disorders 
36 
2.5 
Genito-U rinary Dis o rders 
19 
1.3 
Mental Disorders 
17 
1.1 
General Body Deformities 
15 
ioO 
Skin Diseases 
6 
0.4 
TOTAL 
Box. 
100 % AGE DISTRIBUTION AND HIYSICAL DEFATS OF 1237 KEK REQUIRING RECLASSIFICATION 
AGE 
GROUP 
PHYSICAL DEFECT 
18-19 
20-24 
25-29 
30-34 
35-39 
40-44 
45-Up 
Age 
Not 
Rep. 
Total 
. % 
BODY DEFORMITIES 
GENERAL 
0 
4 
3 
0 
3 
5 
0 
0 
15 
1.0 
CARDIO-VASCULAR 
Arterial Hyper- 
tension 
0 
6 
7 
7 
5 
20 
V. 
3 
0 
48 
Low Cardiac Reserve 
0 
S 
4 
1 
7 
26 
5 
1 
52 
Tachycardia 
0 
9 
2 
2 
4 
13 
3 
0 
33 
Valvular Heart 
Disease 
1 
21 
c. 
s 
2 
3 
17 
0 
3 
52 
Other 
0 
4 
. .A 
1 
0 
1 
2 
0 
12 
Total-Cardio- 
Vascular 
1 
48 
22 
—13— 
19 
_ 77 
13 
- 4 
197 . 
13-.1- 
FEET 
Pes Planus 
0 
45 
19 
12 
35 
73 
7 
2 
193 
Pes Cavus 
0 
2 
3 
6 
8 
19 
0 
1 
39 
Other 
0 
2 
3. 
4 
7 
17 
3 
0 
28 
Total - Feet 
0 
49 
25 
22 
50 
109 
12 
3 
2?0 
PHYSICAL CQK- 
OPTION 
lack of Physical 
Stamina & Agility 
0 
3 
1 
5 
13 
157 
18 
5 
2C2 
Obesity 
0 
9 
7 . 
3 
10 
35 
a 
2 
74 
Underweight 
o- 
5 
5 
3 
4 
5 
i 
1 
24 
Total - Gen. Phys, 
Condition 
’ 0 
17 
13 
11 
27 
12Z_ 
27 
a 
300 
20 oO 
GENITO-URINARY 
DISORDERS 
0 
5 
3 
4 
1 
4 
1 
i 
19 
1.3 
HEARING 
Defective 
0 
0 
a 
3 
6 
4 
12 
2 
0 
35 
Diseases of ear, 
etc. 
0 
7 
2 
2 
1 
4 
. 2 
2 
20 
Total - Hearing 
0 
5- 
a 
AL 
16 
4 
2 
-lA. 
(Cono*d) (Continued from Page 7) 
PHYSICAL DEFECT 
18-19 
20-24 
25-29 
30-34 
35-39 
40-44 
45-Up 
Age 
Not 
Rep 
Total 
% 
HERNIA 
Inguinal 
Other 1 
0 
0 
48 
1 
24 
3. 
22 
2 
24 
5 
82 
4 
11 
0 
3 
1 
214 
16 
Total - Hernia 
0 
49 
... 27 
24 
29 
86 
11 
4 
230 
15-3 
INJURY. SECONDARY 
RESULT OF 
Contusions 
0 
1 
0 
1 
4 
6 
1 
0 
13 
Dislocations 
0 
2 
6- 
2 
2 
6 
0 
0 
18 
Fractures 
0 
9 
12 
5 
9 
7 
2 
3 
47 
Other 
0 
8 
8 
2 
5 _ 
3 
1 
1 
28 
Total. - Injuries 
Secondary Results 
0 
20 
26 
10 
20 
22 
4 
4 
106 
7.1 
MENTAL 
Mental Deficiency, 
Undo 
0 
0 
2 
5 
1 
0 
1 
0 
0 
9 
Fsychoneurosis 
Total - Mental 
0 
4 
0 
0 
2 
0 
0 
2 
8 
0 
6 
5 
1 
2 
1 
0 
2 
_ 17 
U 
NOT CLASSIFIED 
Asthma 
0 
5 
2 
2 
1 
1 
1 
0 
12 
Neurocircula bory 
Asthenia 
0 
5 
1 
1 
3 
1 
2 
0 
13 
Other 
0 
6 
: 5_ 
1 
4_ 
4 
0 
1 
21 
Total - Not 
Classified 
0 
16 
8 
4 
8 
6 
3 
1 
_ .44... 
SKELETAL and MUSCULAR 
DISORDERS 
Arthritis 
0 -> 
2 
0 
0 
1 
4 
3 
0 
10 
Atrophy of Muscles 
0 
1 
3 
i 
0 
0 
C 
0 
5 
Rheumatic Fever 
0 
4 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 
5 
Other 
0 
6 
0 
__5 
1 
3 
0 
1 
16 
Total - Skeletal . 
Muscular 
0 
J3 
J 
6 
2 
i 
3 
2 
2*5 
(Cent’d) (Continued from Page 8) 
PHYSICAL DEFECT 18-19 
20-24 
25-29 
30-34 
35-39 
40—44 
45-up 
Age 
Not 
Rep* 
Total 
% 
SKIN DISEASES 
0 
4 
0 
0 
1 
1 
0 
0 
6 
0o4 
TEETH i 
Defective Dentition 0 
4 
2 
9 
10 
72 
10 
0 
107 
7.1 
VARICOSE VEINS 
0 
4 
8 
10 
12 
19 
2 
0 
55 
3.6 
VISION 
Defective 
0 
13 
2 
3 
4 
8 
1 
1 
32 
Diseases of the 
Eye 
0 
1 
3. 
2 
2 
1 
0 
1 
10 
Total - Vision 
0 
14 
5 
3. 
6 
9 
1 
2 
42 
2o8 
TOTAL - ALL DEFECTS 
1 
268 
155 
127 
195 
631 
91 
33 
1501 
100 
PER CENT OF TOTAL 
NO. OF DEFECTS 
0.1 
17.9 
10.3 
8.5 
12.9 
42.0 
6.1 
2o2 
100