United States Air Force Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) airmen are in a high-risk, high-demand aviation career field critical to battlefield operations. It is widely acknowledged that high levels of fitness and cognitive functioning are necessary for adapting to the operational rigors of the TACP career field. However, annual attrition rates of training candidates are high (e.g., 50% to 70%) and costly in terms of safety and economic resources. It is largely perceived by instructors that safety issues and training failure (e.g., lack of discipline, complacency, inadequate motivation, behavioral violation of procedures, mistakes in task prioritization, inattention, etc.) are likely influenced by a candidate’s emotional and social functioning. To improve selection processes, this study obtained personality testing on TACP candidates who passed (n = 163) versus failed training (n = 93). Analyses were performed to evaluate how successful training candidates differed from the civilian, nonmilitary normative sample, as well as candidates who failed training due to performance errors. Using a series of statistical methodologies and discriminant analyses, normative data and a predictive model were developed. The results of the study revealed several personality traits distinguishing successful TACP training candidates from those who failed and the normative civilian general population. This study presents personality test scores that distinguish those capable of adaptation to training and the operational rigors of setting up landing zones, directing air traffic, and establishing communication capabilities on the battlefield.
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