380 THE NEW WORLD OF SCIENCE 



men with definite occupational qualifications had been filled. 

 Thus the committee materially aided in securing the most 

 profitable distribution or placement of the members of essential 

 occupations. 



As a further aid in assignment the committee prepared 

 definitions of the several hundred different trades needed in 

 the army and brought them together in a book known as " Army 

 Trades Specifications," which became indispensable for staff 

 corps and personnel officers in securing skilled men. 



Tables were prepared which show in detail the needs for 

 skilled workers in each kind of battalion, company, regiment, 

 or other military unit. These tables were carefully studied, 

 criticized, and after repeated modification, approved by army 

 units in France, and they later served as a basis for the rapid 

 organization of divisions. From these occupational tables there 

 finally developed a system of personnel specifications for the 

 enlisted men of four hundred different types of organization. 



Qualification cards for officers were devised and put into 

 general use. These, like the similar cards for enlisted men, 

 supplied a complete record of educational, occupational, and 

 military experience, and, in addition, a rating by superior 

 officers. These cards were filed in Washington and duplicates 

 were supplied to division commanders for their assistance in 

 assigning their officers. 



A uniform system of rating commissioned officers was de- 

 veloped. This was first installed in the officers' training camps 

 as an aid in selecting candidates for commissions. Later it 

 was used also in selecting from among candidates for admission 

 to the schools. In the same direction definitions of the duties 

 and qualifications of no less than 500 different kinds of officers 

 in the various arms of the service were prepared under the 

 direction of the committee. These specifications for commis- 

 sioned officers are used in locating officer material, in selecting 

 men for training as officers, and in assigning officers to duty. 

 Important studies on the basis of the data secured by the com- 

 mittee have been made concerning the significance of age, edu- 



