Just a few weeks before the Army’s controversial new fitness test was due to officially revisit the requirements that could make the difference between promotion and separation of military personnel, the military should proceed with the test on time. I do not promise.
The military, who may need to make significant changes to completely different fitness equipment and training, remains unaware of whether a recently tried version of the test will be valid or whether the service will produce a meaningfully different set. It has become a standard.
“If you know what this test will actually be, you can plan for it,” one infantry sergeant chief told Military.com on anonymous terms. Army combat fitness test, or ACFT. “We continue PT. That won’t change. Some of this is good. ACFT … probably motivated more soldiers to do more. [workouts] Like the kettlebell sways. “
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Congress has directed an independent review of the planned ACFT, whether it will adversely affect the recruitment and retention of women in service, and of testing that soldiers in all environments will be deployed on April 1. I investigated whether I could train properly for this. ..
These findings from Rand Corporation were delivered to lawmakers, two parliamentary aides told Military.com on anonymous terms as they were not allowed to talk about the subject. It’s unclear how many tweaks have been made to the test following feedback from Capitol Hill.
This exam is awaiting final approval from Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth. Christine Wormuth said at a confirmation hearing that she was concerned about the potential impact of the test on women’s detention in the military.
Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Ramirez told Military.com in an email that “no final decision has been made regarding the Army Combat Fitness Test.” “The Army will make an announcement after senior Army leaders have the appropriate time to review RAND findings and recommendations.”
The Army has not conducted official fitness tests since the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) was phased out in September 2020.
Early data from early ACFT pilots obtained by Military.com showed that half of the women in the unit failed the test and few women scored well. The stunning data has spurred Congress to postpone testing until Rand’s research is complete. There is case evidence that some changes, such as allowing soldiers to replace planking with leg-tuck events, slowly close the gender gap. On the other hand, many male soldiers interviewed found the new test easier to pass than the previous test, but much more difficult to achieve a full score.
With a protracted question about women’s performance in the test, the Army is stuck between rocks and difficult places, the goal of the duel to create more appropriate power while trying to open up more opportunities for women. Is juggling. Many soldiers interviewed by Military.com over the past year have agreed that there is no answer to a fitness test that makes everyone happy.
ACFT will be a major overhaul to measure the physical fitness of soldiers for the first time in 40 years. Currently, scores do not adversely affect or have a positive impact on the careers of service members. However, once the test is started, high-scoring soldiers have more employment opportunities and can move up the ranks faster, although failing the test can result in them being expelled from the unit.
Beyond the large gender gap in performance, the complete logistical hurdle of managing the testing of six events puts a strain on military leaders, especially reserves and National Guards. Testing and training. Some guard leaders interviewed fear that the unrealistic nature of some units to perform tests can lead to score confusion.
ACFT, in its current state, requires a robust combination of gym equipment such as kettlebells, sleds, bumper plates, medicine balls and space to run two miles. The gear was primarily raised through a $ 63.7 million contract with Solinex, an athletic company known for equipping sports teams and influencers.
Still, according to plans leaked on the military’s own website, the military may be sticking to ACFT as a device-heavy test. Instead of adding or removing events, minor adjustments may be made to adjust the scoring criteria. Web pages that have been subsequently removed do not show new test events, and alternatives have not been tested by the military.
It is unclear whether the Army will voluntarily set a deadline for April 1, but officials say no soldiers will face immediate consequences at the time of implementation. April 2023 for members and traditional guards and reserve soldiers.
“We make sure the soldiers aren’t overly affected during the run,” Ramirez said.
–Steve Beynon can be contacted at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ StevenBeynon.
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