Author Description

The U.S. Total Army Personnel Command requested an evaluation of the Army Continuing Education System (ACES) to demonstrate its value in improving enlisted soldier retention and performance. This report describes the planning of the evaluation, including a review of the relevant research literature and the development of evaluation and database development plans. The research literature provides limited coverage of continuing education programs. Results indicate that those who participate in continuing education tend to be better qualified than those who don't. The research suggests that participation in continuing education increases the likelihood of reenlistment and improves performance. The effect remains at a reduced magnitude when other factors are controlled statistically.