Greetings all-

I just wanted to take a moment to explain why this regulation change was treated as an emergency change…

Control over AU-supplied (what we all know as AFIADL) tests has always had its unique challenges; with some confusion and four or five compromises occurring typically on an annual basis. Over the past couple of years however, the number of potential compromises identified has risen quite a bit. This came to a head over the summer when the CAP-USAF Inspector General became involved through the compliance inspection process; and the Air University Registrar said that unless we brought our procedures into compliance with AU requirements, as listed in their Air University Test Control Facility Guide, we would lose our test control facilities and ability to administer any Air University exams.

We realize that a new CAPR 50-4, Test Administration and Security, was published in July 2008. Unfortunately, the regulation’s procedures did not fully comply with Air University’s test control and security requirements for AU-supplied exams. Consequently, in order to maintain our testing privileges through AU, we had to revise the regulation to comply with AU requirements. In discussing the situation with Air University, CAP-USAF, member-committees chairs, and CAP’s senior leaders, and in accord with CAPR 5-4, Publications and Forms Management, it was decided that the best solution was to do an emergency regulation change to bring us back into compliance to ensure no interruption in testing.

The big changes you will see in the 10 March edition to 50-4 are the reconfiguration of the chapters to reflect different procedures for which level CAP and AU-supplied exams can be taken, as well as who leads in test compromise investigations. Basically:

1. CAP-produced and supplied exams (online or paper-based) can be tested at any echelon as always.

2. AU-supplied exams which were produced by CAP (ADL-13, 02130 D, and 02010 primarily) may be sent to local units for administration.

3. AU-produced and supplied exams (Air Force career development courses and Air Force PME courses such as Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, etc) will be administered by military TCFs using their shred codes; State Directors or CAP-USAF reservists identified as test administrators may administer the exams IF no military testing center is available. Air Force tests will not be sent below wing level to be administered locally unless it is administered by the State Director or CAP-USAF reservist.

4. Additionally, CAP-produced and supplied exam compromises will be investigated by CAP as always. AU-supplied exams, from any source, will now be investigated by the CAP-Liaison region.

Other minor changes required by the Air Force include:

1. the addition of information to the test inventory log;

2. the inclusion of a template for wings to use when writing TCO appointment letters; 

3. clarification of potential compromise situations, the use of State Directors and CAP-USAF reservists as test administrators; and

4. enhanced test security/control procedures when exams are mailed or transported from one location to another.

These changes are designed to better instruct CAP members who are test control officers in how to ensure the control and security of the exams the organization gives to its members. These clarifications should reduce the number of incidents with exams, and help CAP commanders TCOs have confidence that the procedures they are using are current and will ensure the progression of their members.

Please share this explanation as well as the new 50-4 with your Professional Development Officers, Test Control Officers, Test Administrators, and other interested parties at all echelons. It’s important that we share this information with as many members as we can. Please contact either me or my program manager, Joe Piccotti with any questions you may have about this change; and I thank you for your patience, and your service.

Very Respectfully,