Maximizing Success in the Military: A Network Analysis of Training and Post-Training Excellence

This study investigates the individual characteristics and values that predict success in military careers, focusing on cadets and senior commissioned officers. Anchored in the KSAOs framework (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other characteristics), the research aims to support more effective personnel selection and leadership development processes by identifying attributes associated with professional success. Incorporating the study of values and characteristics into the selection process would offer two main: in the short term, reducing turnover within military training programs, and in the long term, identifying personal attributes that foster sustained growth throughout the career. A mixed-method approach was employed. In the exploratory phase, focus groups were conducted to identify key traits linked to career achievement. A thematic analysis of these discussions led to the development of 15 items reflecting essential attributes, structured within the KSAOs model. These items formed the basis of a questionnaire administered to 458 senior officers across operational, training, and logistics roles, who rated each attribute’s importance to career success on a 5-point Likert scale. In the analytic phase, psychological network analysis was applied to estimate the relationships between attributes and identify central traits within two distinct networks: one for cadets and one for officers. Results showed that the officers’ network exhibited greater overall connectivity, suggesting a more integrated profile of success-related characteristics. Charisma emerged as the most central trait in the cadet network, while responsibility was predominant among officers. Other key attributes included organizational ability, communication skills, learning predisposition, and openness. Centrality measures (strength, closeness, betweenness) highlighted the evolving importance of specific traits across career stages. These findings emphasize the need for role-specific and developmentally informed assessment criteria in military recruitment and training. Furthermore, the use of network analysis offers a nuanced understanding of how personal attributes interact to support performance and long-term career success in military environments.