Lawmakers order Army to create separate fitness standard for combat specialties

Dissatisfied with the newly revised Army Combat Fitness Test, Senators want to develop stronger fitness standards for soldiers who are most likely to see combat, Congress. Sources told the Military Times on Wednesday.

This move also requires all armed services to consider different fitness standards for the military in non-combat jobs, for example, medical and cyber professionals who may require different jobs. Physical skills that ensure that more difficult fitness tests like are not enforced.

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In the long run, this change could mean a radical rethinking of the military fitness requirements for the entire service.

But in the short term, the provision is a blame for Army officials who have fine-tuned fitness tests over the past few years in response to previous criticism from Congress that the event is overly intense for supportive military personnel. ..

Army officials began a revised test in the spring after Congress ordered an independent review of the shortcomings of the test. All active duty soldiers and guards will move to new tests this fall, and reserves will switch to next spring.

The new test includes a new age and gender-specific scoring table similar to the old Army fitness test. A 2.5-mile walk has been added as an alternative aerobic event for troops unable to run due to their medical profile. Elimination of leg tack as a core event.

The current ACFT is specifically designed as an age and gender neutral test on a variety of criteria based on whether a soldier’s work requires “heavy,” “significant,” or “moderate” physical effort. It is somewhat simplified from its predecessor.

However, after a large number of women failed to meet the minimum requirements, the Army modified the event, created a new scoring system with different age and gender criteria, changed the message, and advanced fitness rather than preparatory assessment. I explained ACFT as a test. ..

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Officials said the revision was designed to provide an “assessment of the Army’s overall health and physical areas of the fitness system” and does not predict success on the battlefield. Leaders also discussed whether the word “battle” was eventually left alone, but should be removed from its name.

The changes took place for about two months, but on Wednesday members of the Senate Military Committee deliberated on the annual defense authorization bill to develop supplemental test requirements in addition to the ACFT baseline standards. I voted for.

“Military feat military personnel who require close enemy combat must meet strict physical fitness requirements to ensure the success of their operational missions,” the report of the approval bill said.

The amendment requires Army authorities to provide new “high sexually neutral fitness standards” for Army combat operations by next summer if the NDAA passes this winter as usual. New requirements “higher than non-combat requirements” [jobs].. “

The wording of the accompanying report also states that the Pentagon will create another list of close-quarters combat jobs and explain to SASC their physical requirements and why they would choose those jobs by February 1. Request.

According to parliamentary sources, the clause was introduced by Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa and Tom Cotton of Arkansas, with bipartisan voices by several Democrats in support of abandoning the new army exam. Approved by the vote.

Committee officials did not comment on the ongoing deliberations on the approval bill.

It is unclear whether the provisions will be legal. The Senate will vote on a vast defense authorization bill next month and will begin negotiations with members of the House of Representatives on a compromise to consider later this fall.

The leader of the House Armed Services Committee does not say whether the approval bill will include similar wording when marking up the first draft next week.