Michael F. Shaughnessy
Senior Columnist EducationNews.org
Eastern New Mexico University

Q1) First of all, what exactly is your position and what do you currently do?

I'm Dr. Jane Arabian, the Assistant Director for Enlistment Standards, in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.

Q2) How long has the ASVAB been in existence? Who first started it?  The U.S. military has employed various aptitude screens since World War

I. Originally, each Service had its own test for measuring aptitude and screening for service.A single battery, sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and used by all the Services, has been administered in the schools since 1968.

In the late 1980's, we began to provide career exploration materials along with the ASVAB.The program has evolved and been revised/updated on a regular basis since then.The current ASVAB Career Exploration Program (ASVAB CEP) includes the "FYI" (an interest inventory), Occu-Find (which links interests and skills to careers), and a comprehensive Web site, asvabprogram.com, with information and materials for students, educators, and parents.

Q3) How many schools in America use the ASVAB?

Over 12,000 schools use the ASVAB Career Exploration Program annually. They know the value of the ASVAB CEP and the benefits it brings to students.

Q4) What is this new ASVAB Career Exploration Program?

Although the ASVAB CEP has been available for many years, the program was recently completely redesigned under the guidance of a panel of leading career development and planning experts. The program was designed to empower students, foster career exploration, and emphasize the importance of career planning and decision making. In the development of the assessments, program materials and the CEP Web site (www.asvabprogram.com) panel members reviewed the program to ensure that all relevant testing and counseling standards were met and the program was comprehensive.

Q5) How can it help students make wise, prudent, judicious decisions?

The ASVAB CEP gives students choices.The program provides students with insight into their individual skills and abilities, enabling them to explore their own interests and informing them of the many opportunities (both military and civilian) that exist.The ASVAB CEP is an exploration program that helps students organize information about themselves, educational opportunities, and careers.

Q6) Why is it important that students be aware of career military opportunities?

While the military may not be for everyone, it does provide many of our youth a great opportunity to further their education, gain a marketable skill, become independent, and serve their country.Most students do not know individuals who have served in the military, and wouldn't otherwise be exposed to the opportunities the military can offer.The ASVAB CEP gives students an opportunity to see what kinds of careers are out there - both military and non military careers - and to explore their interests and possibilities.Students who participate in the ASVAB CEP are under no obligation to talk to a recruiter.

Q7) How can the average guidance counselor in the schools help high school students?

Counselors can provide their students with tools to learn as much as they can about themselves and the vast variety of opportunities available to them after graduating high school.ASVAB CEP, offered by the Department of Defense to America's youth, free of charge, was designed with that in mind.

Our career exploration program includes not only an interest inventory, but also a multiple aptitude battery - in addition to academic skills, the ASVAB measures technical and vocational skills.

Q8) What do parents need to know about the ASVAB?

Many career exploration tests can cost families hundreds of dollars. The ASVAB CEP is free of charge, participants are under no obligation to join the military, and they can choose whether or not they want to speak with a recruiter about military opportunities.In fact, most students who participate in ASVAB CEP are not interested in joining the military; only 9 percent of the over 640,000 students who participated in ASVAB CEP last year actually enlisted.I think it is important for everyone involved to remember that students, their parents, and schools may choose whether or not to release their scores to recruiters.Even if scores are not provided to recruiters, students are still able to benefit from the insights and information this program provides.

Q9) What question have I neglected to ask?

Your audience may be interested in knowing about an objective review of the current ASVAB CEP. Recently, the program was independently reviewed for the National Career Development Association's "A Counselor's Guide to Career Assessment Instruments 5th Ed."We expect the publication will be available this fall. The author describes both the ASVAB and the interest inventory ("FYI") as state-of-the-art in test construction.

Eileen M. Lainez
Defense Press Office
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
1400 Defense Pentagon (2E565)
Washington DC 20301-1400
(703) 695-3895

For up-to-date news and information see our Web site: www.defenselink.mil

Published August 20, 2008