UTILIZATION OF BRAIN POWER IN ARMY 195 



to the army surgeon : the actual role, as a result of dem- 

 onstration of values, was that of expert in scientific per* 

 sonnel work. 



In interesting contrast with the original purpose of 

 mental examining, as stated above, stands the following 

 account of the purposes actually achieved by this service : 

 (i) The assignment of an intelligence rating to every 

 soldier on the basis of systematic examination; (2) the 

 designation and selection of men whose superior intelli- 

 gence indicates the desirability of advancement or special 

 assignment; (3) the prompt selection and recommenda- 

 tion for development battalions of men who are so in- 

 inferior mentally as to be unsuitable for regular military 

 training; (4) the provision of measurements of mental 

 ability which shall enable assigning officers to build or- 

 ganizations of uniform mental strength or in accordance 

 with definite specifications concerning intelligence require- 

 ments; (5) the selection of men for various types of mili- 

 tary duty or for special assignments, as for example, to 

 military training schools, colleges or technical schools; 

 (6) the provision of data for the formation of special 

 training groups within the regiment or battery in order 

 that each man may receive instruction suited to his ability 

 to learn ; (7) the early discovery and recommendation for 

 elimination of men whose intelligence is so inferior that 

 they cannot be used to advantage in any line of military 

 service. 



Although it originally seemed that psychological ex- 

 amining naturally belonged in the Medical Department of 

 the Army and would there prove most useful, it subse- 

 quently became evident that this is not true because the 

 service rendered by psychological examiners is only in 

 part medical in its relations and values. In the main its 

 significance relates to placement and its natural affiliation 

 is with military personnel. For practical as well as logi- 

 cal reasons it would doubtless have been wiser had the 

 service of the Division of Psychology been associated 



