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Reading Ability. Because reading requirements for
many military occupations are substantial, reading ability of recruits is important. The reading grade level (RGL) is estimated by converting the ASVAB verbal composite score to its RGL equivalent.(36) Table 2.9 shows that the mean RGL for FY 1998 recruits was at a level that would
be expected of an 11th grade student, compared to 10th grade level for the average FY 1984 accession.
| Table 2.9. Mean Reading Grade Level of FY 1984–1998 Active Component NPS
Accessions, By Service, and 1980 Civilians 18–23 Years Old |
| Fiscal Year |
Army |
Navy |
Marine Corps |
Air Force |
DoD |
1980 Civilian Youth Population |
| 1984 |
10.0 |
10.2 |
9.8 |
10.5 |
10.1 |
10.3 |
| 1985 |
10.6 |
10.5 |
10.1 |
10.8 |
10.6 |
| 1986 |
11.2 |
11.0 |
11.1 |
11.4 |
11.1 |
| 1987 |
11.2 |
11.1 |
11.2 |
11.6 |
11.2 |
| 1988 |
11.2 |
11.1 |
11.2 |
11.5 |
11.2 |
| 1989 |
11.1 |
11.0 |
11.2 |
11.4 |
11.2 |
| 1990 |
11.2 |
11.1 |
11.2 |
11.7 |
11.3 |
| 1991 |
11.4 |
11.0 |
11.3 |
11.7 |
11.3 |
| 1992 |
11.5 |
11.4 |
11.3 |
11.7 |
11.5 |
| 1993 |
11.5 |
11.5 |
11.2 |
11.8 |
11.5 |
| 1994 |
11.4 |
11.3 |
11.2 |
11.7 |
11.4 |
| 1995 |
11.3 |
11.3 |
11.2 |
11.7 |
11.4 |
| 1996 |
11.3 |
11.3 |
11.1 |
11.7 |
11.4 |
| 1997 |
11.2 |
11.2 |
11.1 |
11.6 |
11.3 |
| 1998 |
11.2 |
11.2 |
11.1 |
11.5 |
11.2 |
| Source: 1980 civilian youth population data from the Profile of American Youth
(Washington, DC: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense [Manpower, Reserve Affairs, and Logistics], March 1982); and Waters, et al., Estimating the Reading Skills of Military Applicants: The
Development of an ASVAB to RGL Conversion Table (Alexandria, VA: Human Resources Research Organization, October 1988). |
Inter-Service differences in RGL were relatively small in FY 1998, with mean RGLs
ranging from 11.1 for the Marine Corps to 11.5 for the Air Force. The 1980 nationally representative sample of 18- to 23-year-olds, on whom ASVAB scores are based, read at a mean 10th grade level.
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