This paper addresses practical Army problems in reading assessment from a theory base reflecting the most recent research on reading comprehension. Military and occupational research shows that reading proficiency is related to job performance. Reading assessment is a key issue in the Army due to changes in the reading ability levels of the Army population. Three current types of reading theory have important implicatins for reading assessment in terms of appropriate validity, reliability, norms, and standards: (1) perceptual-cognitive theory; (2) information processing theories; and (3) the emerging interactive-inferential theory. Commercial reading tests used by the Army, such as the Adult Basic Literacy Examination, the Test of Adult Basic Education, the Nelson-Denny Reading Test, and the Metropolitan Achievement Test (Reading, Form D) differ widely in psychometric characteristics and overall quality when evaluated using theory-based standards. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASAB) correlates highly with various reading tests, but should be used with caution as a reading surrogate. The Army should consider using the available alternatives to grade equivalent scores. (BS)