Army Seeks Public Input on New Officer Cognitive Test Pilot

You might care about this because the Department of the Army is asking for public comments on a proposed new information collection. This collection is part of a plan to develop a Cognitive Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) pilot. The Army Research Institute (ARI) for the Behavioral and Social Sciences is creating this test. Its goal is to measure cognitive abilities important for successful military officers. They plan to use a civilian population to test the cognitive questions. This will help them understand how well these questions work before using them in the final test. The public can give feedback on whether this collection is needed, how accurate the Army's burden estimate is, and ways to make the information collection clearer and less burdensome. Comments are due by September 28, 2026. This is your chance to voice your opinion on a new military assessment tool. What is interesting about this is the Army's proactive approach to developing a sophisticated assessment tool. They are creating a Cognitive Computer Adaptive Test to better evaluate potential officers. The use of a civilian population to pilot the test items before applying them to military candidates shows careful planning. This approach helps ensure the test questions are fair and effective. Also, the Army is openly inviting public input during this development phase. This process allows citizens to review and comment on federal agencies' proposed data collections. It ensures transparency and offers a chance for outside perspectives to shape important government initiatives. The new test could change how future officers are selected, making it an important development for military recruitment and training. People who would be most interested in this document include military personnel, especially those involved in recruitment or officer selection. Psychologists and researchers focused on cognitive assessment or military psychology would find this relevant. Academics studying testing methodologies or adaptive testing might also be interested. Civil liberties advocates or privacy groups could find interest in how the Army collects and uses personal information. Individuals who may consider joining the military in the future might also want to understand the types of assessments they could face. Lastly, any member of the public concerned about government data collection or the efficiency of federal programs should take note. This notice directly invites their feedback.