Army Combat Fitness Test
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The United States Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) is the forthcoming fitness test for the United States Army. It was designed to better reflect the stresses of a combat environment, to address the poor physical fitness of recruits, and to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries for service members. It consists of six events and is graded on a scale with a maximum score of 600. The test is scheduled to take full effect as the US Army's fitness test of record as of October 2020.
Development[]
The ACFT was developed to more closely measure "combat-readiness", after it was found that more battlefield evacuations were performed during the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan due to musculoskeletal injuries, than were due to the ongoing fighting.[1] Such injures may also be a significant contributing factor in the attrition rate for current service members.[2]
It was also designed to address the "declining health and fitness standards of incoming recruits".[3][a] Studies leading up to the release of the new standard indicated an "increase of overweight recruits who can't pass entry-level physical fitness tests" as well as an increase in injuries resulting from the poor physical condition of new soldiers.[5]
The ACFT began development in 2013, and was based on a set of 113 essential "warrior tasks and drills" laid out in army doctrine, as well as feedback from those who had completed tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.[6][7] The test is currently undergoing testing and refinement, and scheduled to replace the United States Army Physical Fitness Test as of October 2020.[8] In 2019 the new test was fielded with 63 Reserve and National Guard units.[9] It is the first change in the US Army physical fitness test in four decades.[1]
Description[]
The ACFT is intended to more closely mimic physical tasks and stresses associated with combat.[10] It is designed to measure "power, speed, agility ... balance [and] muscular and aerobic endurance".[6]
The test consists of six athletic events completed over the course of 50 minutes:
- Three-rep trap bar deadlift of between 140 pounds (64 kg) and 340 pounds (150 kg)
- A 10 pounds (4.5 kg) backward and overhead medicine ball throw
- Hand-release push-ups over a period of two minutes
- 250 metres (820 ft) shuttle run referred to as the "sprint-drag-carry"
- Hanging leg tucks over a period of two minutes
- 2 miles (3.2 km) run[1][2]
It is graded in a scale with a maximum score of 600 points. In August 2019, a member of the 22nd Chemical Battalion became the first soldier to record a perfect score, beating out the previous record of 597, set in June by a member of the Kentucky Army National Guard.[11][12]
Unlike its predecessor, the ACFT does not adjust standards based on age or gender.[2] Instead, soldiers are assigned to one of three tiers based on their military occupational specialty.[2] However, this 'do-not-adjust' policy caused a hot debate whether it would penalize women and overshadow expertise and intellectual preparations. [13]
See also[]
Notes[]
References[]
- ^ a b c Mayers, Dave (March 11, 2019). "What it takes to pass the Army's new Combat Fitness Test". Vice Media. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d Associated Press (February 7, 2019). "Here's a look at the U.S. Army's new physical fitness test — it's much more grueling". MarketWatch. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ Moore, Emma (June 7, 2019). "Implementing new PT standards may hurt Army readiness. The service should learn from how US allies pulled it off". Task & Purpose. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ "US Army Develops New 'Combat Fitness Test'". Voice of America. February 10, 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ McDonald, Scott (December 4, 2018). "U.S. Army Aims for Tougher Fitness Standards Despite Amount of Overweight Recruits". Newsweek. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ a b Summers Lowe, Miranda (March 28, 2019). "'Swat the Kaiser' and Stork Stands: The History of Army Physical Fitness". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ Cox, Matthew (July 10, 2018). "Army Does Away With Age-Specific Scoring in New Combat Fitness Test". Military.com. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ Cox, Matthew (June 28, 2019). "Army to Adjust Standards for New Combat Fitness Test This Fall". Military.com. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ Rempfer, Kyle (August 8, 2019). "As ACFT rollout nears, leaders talk preparation, test difficulty and how to train 'without exact equipment'". Army Times. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ Augustine, Katie (March 7, 2019). "New Army Combat Fitness Test holds pilot program in Winterville". WNCT-TV. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ Martin, Stephen (June 26, 2019). "Kentucky Guard Soldier posts highest ACFT score yet". US Army. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- ^ Vandiver, John (August 28, 2019). "Soldier is first to achieve perfect score on new Army fitness test". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
- ^ New York Times (2021-03-11). "Where Fitness Is the Job, Army Struggles to Be a Fair Boss With Female Troops".
External links[]
Media related to United States Army Combat Fitness Test at Wikimedia Commons
- Official Army website for the ACFT
- Sport of athletics
- United States Army physical fitness
- Fitness tests
- Hazing