Using Behavioral Measures to Assess Counter-Terrorism Training in the Field

Development of behavioral pattern recognition and analysis skills is an essential element of counter-terrorism training, particularly in the field. Three classes of behavioral measures were collected in an assessment of skill acquisition during a US Joint Forces Command (JFCOM)-sponsored course consisting of combat tracking and combat profiling segments. These included situational judgment tests, structured behavioral observation checklists, and qualitative assessments of the emergence of specific knowledge-skills-attitudes over the course of training. Evidence was present in all three types of measures to indicate that behavioral pattern recognition and analysis skills were successfully acquired by most students (a mix of Army and civilian law enforcement personnel). The paper describes both the types of skills acquired and the statistical evidence that supports their acquisition over the course of field training. Implications for broader training of these critical skills are also discussed.