The 1997 International Occupational Analysts Workshop luncheon was the setting for the initial conferring of a new Raymond E. Christal Occupational Analysis Award. Ray Christal’s many contributions to job analysis and personality research have been recognized elsewhere. Ray always felt, however, that the efforts of those behind-the-scenes individuals who really make things work were not recognized often enough. This includes those who write or run the computer programs, who get surveys printed, mailed, returned, data entered, and data screened for quality, who type and print reports, and who otherwise do the many things needed for any scientific research and development program work. Recognizing such individuals is the objective of this new Christal OA award.

The 1999 recipient of this award is Mr. Darryl K. Hand, shown below with Mary Christal and Dr. Jimmy Mitchell (IJOA Director) at the IOAW luncheon award ceremony, May 25th, 1999.

Darryl has been solely responsible for the maintenance of CODAP for several years, and has assisted in its installation and operation with the Air Force Occupational Measurement Squadron at Randolph AFB, TX; the U.S. Army OA program, Alexandria, VA; Navy OA program at Anacostia, MD; the Canadian Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Canada; and the Australian CODAP cell of the ADF, Canberra, Australia.  He runs the sometimes monthly CODAP Users Meeting in San Antonio to keep users informed of program changes and other technical information. He maintains the CODAP website (see links page for direct link), including posting on-line documentation and flow charts for programs and processes, as well as minutes of the CODAP Users meetings.  In all he does, he is professional, cheerful, and extremely creative so that it is a pleasure for all to deal with him.  He is an expert diagnotician and often helps solve users' problems over the phone or via e-mail.  His work has been largely unrecognized except among a very small group of programmers and senior managers directly involved with the operation of CODAP systems, but his energetic and positive contributions have impacted all who use the programs or output products from these systems.  For his very significant contributions to the maintenance and development of CODAP, Darryl is hereby recognized with the award of this year's Raymond Christal OA Award.

Dr. Raymond E. Christal, father of CODAP and mentor for most military job analysts, was a proponent for the IJOA and a member of its Advisory Panel. He was a major innovator in military occupational and personality research, primarily through the Air Force Human Resources Laboratory.

After serving for four years as an officer in the United States Navy during World War II, Ray received his bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology from the University of North Texas in Denton and his Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. From 1952 to 1980, he worked as a civil service research psychologist for the Air Force Human Resources Laboratory (AFHRL, now the Human Resources Directorate of the Armstrong Laboratory) at Brooks Air Force Base. Following his "retirement" Ray became Chief of the Learning Abilities Measurement Program (LAMP) working half-time as a "re-employed annuitant" until 1984. Subsequently, he served as a contract researcher (through Metrica, Inc.) with several R&D programs (including five factor personality assessment), working on site at the laboratory. He was returning to his office at the lab from lunch when he suffered a fatal heart attack.

His most influential works were in the areas of personality theory and assessment, learning abilities measurement, occupational analysis and the Comprehensive Occupational Data Analysis Programs (CODAP) system, which benefitted not only the Air Force, but other services, allied military services, the business world, and private industry.

In December 1994, Dr. Christal became the first American to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Plymouth University in Great Britain, and additionally received a congratulatory commendation from the Honorable Fred Pang, Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of Defense, Force Management and Policy (see the February 1995 issue of the IJOA newsletter). Ray was earlier awarded the Meritorious Civilian Service Award and, additionally, the Exceptional Civilian Service award, the highest award that can be earned from the Air Force by a civilian.

Among his many activities, Dr. Christal was a charter member and fellow of the American Psychological Society (APS), and fellow of several divisions of the American Psychological Association (APA). He was a frequent presenter at the International Military Testing Association (IMTA) annual conferences.

posted June 4, 1999

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