Army probes alleged exam cheating-Answers to tests for promotions found on websites

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/07/22/army_probes_alleged_exam_cheating/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News+%2F+Nation

Army probes alleged exam cheating
Answers to tests for promotions found on websites

By Bryan Bender and Kevin Baron, Globe Staff and Globe Correspondent | July 22, 2007

WASHINGTON -- The Army is investigating whether thousands of soldiers cheated on promotion exams, including tests of how to operate high-tech weapons, by obtaining the answers from unauthorized websites run by fellow soldiers, according to Army officials.

The Globe found sites offering copies of more than 1,200 different exams from military correspondence courses with the answers provided. One site said it had 500,000 hits per month and thousands of registered users. Message boards on the sites suggest that soldiers know they are violating the rules, while some of their comrades rebuke them in Internet chat rooms for cheating the system.

Some of the tests cover such highly technical matters as how to operate the guidance system on a Patriot missile, including measuring firing angles and elevations. Other sensitive areas include how to distinguish between US troops and enemies using aerial photos; how to conduct a patrol in wartime; how to keep armored vehicles in proper formation in battle; and how to protect classified documents. The sites, with names including Shamschool.com and Armyfocus.com, are free or charge a small fee.

ShamSchool describes itself as "soldiers helping soldiers" and says the questions and answers it provides are "intended as a reference only." In an e-mailed response to Globe questions, the operator of ShamSchool declined to comment. But in a posting yesterday he said he created the site to help fellow soldiers exchange information and "now I am being used as a scapegoat for everyone cheating on these tests."

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I'm awfully sorry if it came out that way

at stake is a bit disconcerting.

and with proper classes, hold those who didn't with disdain and derision...and the "morale" is that much worsened...there's a huge rift within the army already for obvious reasons...compounded by this problem

it's always been a problem but now it is worse...far worse....poorly trained and untested people are gaining rank and "leading" troops into combat...contrary to myth, a stint in Iraq does not a leader make...and PVT's are gaining their Non-coms in record time without school and without the time needed to actually learn how to lead...

idea. Gives me a lot less faith in the military than I already had.