FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (April 1, 2010) - Several Soldiers at Fort Leavenworth recently raised their general technical composite scores to more than 110 on the Armed Forces Classification Test after a 60-hour prep course.
Sgt. Rolanda Mack, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Combined Arms Center, and Staff Sergeants Amanda Deel and Marissa Koons, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, said they took the civilian equivalent to the AFCT, the Army Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, when they were younger and unaware of its effect on their Army careers. The Soldiers re-tested after taking the Basic Skills Enhancement Program at Fort Leavenworth, or BSEP, through the Army Education Center. With new GT scores between 112 and 120, Soldiers said the course is leading to immediate benefits in their careers.
"There is no door that's closed to me now in the military," Deel said. "I've got keys to all the doors."
Higher GT scores allow Soldiers to participate in more career advancement opportunities. The Army Green to Gold program, officer candidate school, switching military occupational specialty, attending professional military schools and becoming a warrant officer all require specific GT scores, usually at least 100. A score of at least 110 allows a Soldier to participate in almost any career advancement opportunity, said Meg LaFace, BSEP instructor for the Army Education Center.
LaFace said the 60-hour BSEP course is divided into four hours a day, usually sponsored by commanders as part of the Soldier's duty day. The students spend three hours per session on math and an hour on paragraph comprehension and word knowledge. Although the AFCT has nine subtests, the BSEP course focuses on arithmetic reasoning, paragraph comprehension and word knowledge.
"Those are the three areas where I can, in 60 hours, make the biggest difference," LaFace said.
LaFace said the classes are limited to 20 students each. She said it's not unusual for a Soldier to take the course twice, especially if he or she has been out of school for a few years and needs to refresh math skills. Soldiers get three indicators as they're taking the course to show them their likely GT score. LaFace said because Soldiers can only take the AFCT three times in their careers, Soldiers can opt not to take the test if the indicator shows they won't improve.
Out of the seven Soldiers who took the AFCT in the most recent course, the average GT score increase was 15.
"They're a unique group of learners," she said, "the most motivated group of learners I've ever taught. They really have so much to gain by raising their test score."
LaFace said the next BSEP course, which begins April 12, will use a new software program for math comprehension. Soldiers need to register for this course at the Army Education Center, 120 Dickman Ave., by April 7. LaFace said there were only five slots available.
Teresa Riggins, guidance counselor for the Army Education Center, said she's heard from many enlisted Soldiers that the importance of the ASVAB test isn't impressed upon them when they join the Army.
"Nobody really tells them that this test affects them later," she said.
Koons, an MP who has been in the Army for more than seven years, needed a GT score of 100 to attend the Military Police Investigators Course. When she originally took the ASVAB before enlistment, her GT score was only a few points below the MPI requirement.
While in Cuba, Koons planned to take the course upon being stationed to Fort Leavenworth.
"I got lucky because I got here in January and the first thing I asked was, 'When is BSEP'' I found out by chance it was in February, and then found out it was the only class I could take," Koons said.
Her new GT score qualifies her for entrance into the MPI, and she's going to try for the Army Green to Gold program.
Mack and Deel both plan to use their higher GT scores to become career counselors in their units.
Soldiers also said that because of the BSEP course, they've had the refresher education they need to begin college applications and entrance exams. LaFace said the Army Education Center's staff could help Soldiers with that, as well.
Ledell Bowman, education service officer, said Soldiers interested in BSEP should act quickly.
"ACES is taking major budgetary cuts that are going to affect programs such as the one they've just completed," he said.
Bowman said if Soldiers don't utilize the programs, they could be cut. BSEP was once offered four times a year, and that may be cut to twice a year. He said without additional funding, the April class is the last BSEP class until the end of the Army fiscal year in October.
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