Subscribe
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. — Hosting the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) testing at McConnell Air Force Base has saved the Department of War more than $300,000 in the last fiscal year.
Before enlisting in any branch of the U.S. military, potential recruits take the ASVAB entrance exam. It measures knowledge in subjects like math, science, reading, and mechanics, and the scores help decide if someone can enlist and which jobs they would qualify for.
For years, local military recruiters had the option to drive potential recruits to Military Entrance Processing stations in Kansas City or Oklahoma City, a three-hour trip each way, or to coordinate a one-off test with nearby guard centers. Airmen participating in Recruiter Assistance Program would assist with transportation, easing the load on recruiters but still not solving the problem of time and cost. Those long trips meant days away from recruiting and extra transportation expenses.
“We test potential recruits every Monday and Thursday and local recruiters know they can count on it, “ said Duane Beville, 22nd Force Support Squadron chief of force development. “Right now we’re averaging about 80 recruits a month.”
The on-site testing opened approximately 15 months ago after local recruiters repeatedly asked for a better and closer option. McConnell's Dole Center already had the necessary space, computers, facility and staff needed to become a host site. Official test administrators travel to Wichita twice a week to administer the ASVAB for potential recruits. The recurring schedule allows recruiters a predictable plan for eligible groups or even individuals without needing weeks of planning in advance.
“Now, with testing at McConnell, recruiters don’t have to spend that time on the road,” Duane said. “It’s money saved, but also time recruiters can put back into recruiting.”
In addition to the ASVAB, McConnell also supports other specialized administrative exams required for certain career fields, further streamlining the enlistment process.
“If McConnell had not started testing we would be facing a strain on Air Force resources,” said Tech. Sgt. Joseph Lindgren, 349th Recruiting Squadron Air and Space Force recruiter. “To send a member to test in Oklahoma City or Kansas City we have to pay for a shuttle, hotel, and multiple meals. Doing this for someone who might not pass their test would mean wasting significant money, time and man power.”
For more information, contact the Wichita U.S. Air Force & Space Force recruiting office at (316) 765-1453.
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2025 15:09 |
| Story ID: | 549912 |
| Location: | MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 9 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, McConnell AFB testing site saves Department of War more than $300,000 annually, by SrA Paula Arce, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
