Maximizing success in the military: A network analysis of training and post-training excellence

This study investigates the psychological factors associated with success in a military career, focusing on personality traits and personal values of Army cadets and commissioned officers. Drawing on perspectives from personality and social psychology, the research conceptualizes career success not as the result of isolated individual characteristics, but as an emergent outcome of complex interrelations among psychological attributes across different career stages. A central aim of military organizations is to promote personnel success and long-term retention. From a psychological standpoint, this objective can be supported by early identification of individual profiles that are well aligned with the social and organizational demands of the military context. Integrating personality traits and values into selection and training processes may contribute to both short-term outcomes, such as reduced attrition during training, and long-term developmental trajectories, fostering adaptability, motivation, and leadership potential. Methodologically, the study employs network analysis to model the dynamic structure of relationships among psychological variables linked to performance and career success. This approach allows for a nuanced understanding of how traits and values interact as a system, capturing patterns that traditional variable-centered methods may overlook. By comparing networks derived from cadets and from experienced officers, the study highlights continuities and changes in the psychological architecture of success across the military career. Overall, the findings contribute to social and personality psychology by illustrating how network-based models can enhance our understanding of individual development and success within highly structured social institutions, offering implications for selection, training, and leadership development.