“How has Literacy in the United States Military Evolved from World War II to Present Day?”

Introduction:

In 1986, I enlisted in the U.S. Army as a Communications Operator. As I rose through the ranks I noticed that more and more soldiers and leaders were attending Army schools, technical courses and college courses. The new push seemed to be to become more knowledgeable in the military occupational skill (assigned job), but also in reading and writing abilities. I also noticed that the recruits seemed to be more literate and more technically skilled. I often wondered if there was actually any data that could support or refute my beliefs that soldiers were becoming more and more literate.

The English 1050 research project seemed like a great opportunity for me to answer my own question,

Lieutenant General Michael A. VaneDeputy CommanderArmy Capabilities Integration Center Training & Doctrine Command (TRADOC)

In looking to some of our military’s leaders, it is clear that some are calling for soldiers and leaders to be more literate not only in the basic reading and writing comprehension skills but also more technically proficient to meet the needs of the new digital age. In his article “New Norms for the 21 st Century Soldier,” Lieutenant General Michael Vane states,

• “The genesis for the discussion of New Norms is the Army Leader Development Strategy …The strategy identifies and develops leaders with expertise in financial management, program management, acquisition, education, strategic planning, and force development” (Vane 17).

• “The New Norms of digital literacy reflect the technological advances that help soldiers access, acquire, process, and move information on the modern battlefield. Most soldiers entering the Army today acquired many of their basic digital literacy skills while growing up…All soldiers and DA civilians must be competent, responsible users of digital technology who can communicate, locate, transform, and share information through digital devices and services to meet their mission or job requirements” (Vane 20).

Ms. Melissa HegerfeldDepartment of EducationIndiana University-Purdue University at Fort WayneApril 22, 1999

As evidenced by Lieutenant General Vane, the military is calling for a new breed of soldiers and leaders, a force strengthened through each individual’s improved literacy. Ms. Melissa Hegerfeld in her paper, “Reading, Writing, and the American Soldier A Study of Literacy in the American Armed Forces” stated,

• “Literacy in the military has seen drastic changes since the World War II era and even the Viet Nam era. Qualification tests are stricter, and literacy programs are more available than before. Literacy in the military is crucial in the technological world. In order for a soldier to comprehend the intricate details of sophisticated machinery, it is important for the soldier to be able to read something as simple as a newspaper or as complex as a repair manual for a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV)” (Hegerfeld 3).

• According to Hegerfeld, it was reported that 95% of enlistees are high school graduates and many are of the traditional classroom and are therefore better prepared for the rigors of military requirements (Hegerfeld 17).

World War II

1960s

1980s

36%

39%

42%

The June 1993 “Military Aptitude Testing: The Past Fifty Years” written by Milton H. Maier lists the category summaries that show a steady increase in recruits’ Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) from World War II through the 1980s (see below chart). Although the AFQT is divided into 9 categories and has a complex computation, it is important to note that recruits whose scores range within Categories I and II are the best qualified for enlistment (Maier 22-23).

Conclusion: Based upon the research data compiled thus far, it is clear that literacy in the United States Armed Forces has continually improved. Data shows that post World War II the military’s leadership pointed to the need to improve recruit testing to fill the military’s ranks with a more literate soldier.

Lieutenant General Vane states, “New Norms stress the value of soldier operational adaptability and knowledge of foreign cultures and language, negotiation, digital literacy and space knowledge, weapons technical intelligence, and site exploitation…As the Army continues to adapt, additional New Norms will surely emerge, thereby adding to the demands put on the education and training infrastructure” (Vane 24).