Management Advisory: The DoD’s Calculation and Reporting of Future Servicemember Preparatory Course Graduates for Recruiting Metrics (Report No. DODIG-2026-031)

The DoD OIG conducted a review of the Army’s Future Soldier Preparatory Course and an evaluation of the Navy’s Future Sailor Preparatory Course.  The intent of these courses is to increase the number of applicants eligible for military service. 

During these oversight projects, the DoD OIG identified that the Army and the Navy were not properly calculating the number of recruits enlisted with an Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score between the 10th and 30th percentile, also known as Category IV enlistments.  Specifically, the Army and the Navy improperly used AFQT scores obtained during the preparatory courses, to calculate the number of Category IV enlistments.  By incorrectly calculating the number of Category IV enlistments, the Army and the Navy circumvented the section 520, title 10, United States Code (10 U.S.C. § 520) requirement to obtain Secretary of Defense approval to exceed the statutory limit of Category IV enlistments.  Additionally, the Army and the Navy did not notify the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as required by 10 U.S.C. § 520, for exceeding the statutory limit of Category IV enlistments.

Furthermore, using the proper calculations, the Army’s and the Navy’s Category IV enlistments exceeded 10 percent of their accessions for the fiscal year.  Section 520 requires a Military Service establish a statutorily mandated future Servicemember preparatory course, with specific Congressional reporting and oversight, when Category IV enlistments exceed 10 percent for the fiscal year.  Once a Military Service establishes the statutory-mandated course, 10 U.S.C. § 520 then allows the Military Service to calculate the number of Category IV enlistments using AFQT scores obtained during the course, the method currently used by the Navy and Army.  However, neither of these Military Services’ preparatory courses were designated as a statutorily-mandated course, and therefore, the Military Services cannot use AFQT scores obtained during the course to calculate the number of Category IV enlistments.

The DoD OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs issue clarifying guidance that permits the Military Services to recalculate the distribution of original Category IV enlistments only if operating a statutorily mandated future Service member preparatory course consistent with the requirements of section 520, title 10, United States Code.