This study included a survey of historical literature related to troop quality and capability; a survey of psychological literature dealing with the relationship of individual aptitude to group performance, with special attention to the group performance of low-aptitude individuals; a statistical comparison of quantified ratings of the combat effectiveness of 17 national military forces since 1945 with demographic, educational, and other statistical characteristics of the nations involved; and a survey of collections of combat data for the purpose of identifying units with unusually high combat effectiveness, and also of identifying detailed combat data on relatively small units (regiments and battalions) that would make possible quantitative analysis of unit combat effectiveness at those levels. The study report includes recommendations for further research in the quantification of troop capability and its effect on combat. A fully annotated bibliography accompanies the report.

"ACN 64024." "December 1980." Prepared for US Army Soldier Support Center.