Photo By Michelle Gigante | U.S. Army Col. Phil Graham, Army Element commander for U.S. Transportation Command,...... read more read more
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SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. – As of Oct. 1, 2020, all Soldiers assigned to U.S. Transportation Command will be required to meet the U.S. Army physical fitness standards using the new Army Combat Fitness Test.
“It is important to engage on this because the ACFT is not the Army Physical Fitness Test and requires a different level of fitness,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Deborah Kotulich, USTRANSCOM chief of staff. “The ACFT is demanding and requires a steady workout routine, strength training, and cardiovascular conditioning.”
The ACFT is a comprehensive test intended to prepare and maintain the physical readiness of Soldiers for success in combat. The exercises are designed around the muscle groups and muscle memory of actions and activities needed in combat.
The ACFT optimizes Soldier readiness, reduces injury rates and enhances mental toughness and stamina to improve overall effectiveness for all Army service members.
The former APFT consisted of pushups, situps and a 2-mile run. Studies found the high repetitions and overuse of the same muscle groups were causing injuries for Soldiers and did not effectively test their anaerobic and aerobic capacity.
“The new ACFT prompts 40-50 percent reduction of reps versus the APFT,” said U.S. Army Maj. Kai June, certified personal fitness trainer and information systems engineer in USTRANSCOM’s Command, Control, Communications and Cyber directorate. “The ACFT can accurately assess our anaerobic and aerobic capacity.”
For all of the Army personnel within USTRANSCOM, the six-event ACFT will be the force’s official test of record for a two-year data collection period, which the Army has dubbed ACFT 2.0.
The ACFT events include three-repetition maximum deadlift, standing power throw, hand-release pushup arm extension, sprint-drag-carry, leg tuck, and a 2-mile run. Each event is designed to mimic the stresses of a combat environment.
“It is a big change, looking from where we came from and where we are today, it is 100 percent attainable,” said June. “The biggest challenge for me is the mental piece opposed to the physical, because with the old test you can look out 30 days, hurry up and get in shape, this test not so much, it’s a holistic change, the Army is looking at nutrition, sleep and mental resiliency.”
Every year, active duty and Active Guard Reserve will take two ACFTs, while Reserve and Guard Soldiers will take one. Due to the training challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic individual scores will not count against Soldiers until March 2022.
“The Army put a lot of energy and resources online to help soldiers improve in this area,” said Kotulich.
All Army service members can access the following link for further information to prepare for the test and to review current changes: https://www.army.mil/acft/.
However, one element that Soldiers might not get in demonstration and individual practices is the full layout of doing the events back-to-back.
“You get a sufficient break, but it’s a set amount,” said U.S. Army Col. Phil Graham, Army Element commander for USTRANSCOM. “Now after doing the whole thing, it’s pretty taxing, certain areas where I am stronger, and others where I am much weaker than I expected, but it’s a good test and I do feel it’s a better measurement than the old APFT in a lot of ways.”
After being in a pandemic for the past several months, Graham noted it is a good reminder to get back into physical training and readiness.
“The leadership are fully supportive of this effort to try to not only complete the first ACFT that we are required [to do], but to get everyone back into the mindset of being ready for combat,” said Graham. “It is our number one mission in the Army to be ready if called upon.”
USTRANSCOM exists as a warfighting combatant command to project and sustain military power at a time and place of the nation’s choosing. Powered by dedicated men and women, TRANSCOM underwrites the lethality of the Joint Force, advances American interests around the globe, and provides our nation's leaders with strategic flexibility to select from multiple options, while creating multiple dilemmas for our adversaries.
| Date Taken: | 10.16.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 10.27.2020 08:59 |
| Story ID: | 381635 |
| Location: | ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 182 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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