A motivational basis for turnover in military officer education and training

Abstract

Studies were conducted at the US Military Academy and at the Officer Candidate School, Fort Benning, Georgia, to determine whether the Miner Sentence Completion Scale (Form H) would predict turnover in the essentially hierarchical military education and training context. The Military Academy sample contained 502 Ss, 189 of whom separated in a 4-yr period after testing. The Officer Candidate School sample contained 251 Ss, 29 of whom failed to complete the 15-wk course. In both instances, positive results were obtained, although the underlying dynamics of turnover appeared to be somewhat different in the 2 situations. Implications for selection, turnover theory and research, and the design of validation studies are discussed. (17 ref) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)