Photo By Keith Hayes | Sergeant Brendan T. McDowell prepares to fireman carry another Marine 75 yards, Oct....... read more read more
The annual Combat Fitness Test puts the heat to Headquarters Company Marines aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, California, Oct. 16.
“The Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David H. Berger, has stated training will go on despite the social and distancing restrictions imposed by COVID-19,” said Sgt. Maj. Edward Kretschmer, base sergeant major.
To that end, the CFT was staged at Sorensen Field aboard MCLB Barstow, to test Marines’ ability to operate under simulated combat conditions.
The CFT consists of several elements designed to test the situations that a Marine is most likely to encounter while in combat conditions.
Those elements are:
• 10-yard sprint
• 15-yard crawl (low then high crawl)
• hauling a simulated casualty using two different carries: drag and fireman’s carry over 75 yards zigzagging through cones
• sprint while carrying two 30-pound ammo cans over 75 yards through the same cones
• throwing a dummy hand grenade into a marked circle 22.5 yards away (adding 5 seconds to total time if missed)
• 5 pushups and a sprint with the ammo cans to the finish line.
“When not directly engaged in a physical activity or being a test proctor timing the event, participants were required to wear masks,” Kretschmer said.
Usually, the CFT goes with the Physical Fitness Test as annual requirements for Marines to fulfill.
“This year, because of COVID-19 restrictions, the PFT has been put on hold until next year,” the sergeant major said.
Every Marine, from the base commander to the lowest ranking private aboard base must partake in the CFT.
Colonel Craig C. Clemans, commanding officer, MCLB Barstow, was also out on Sorensen field alongside his Marines, crawling, running, toting and lifting ammo cans, fireman carrying, and throwing grenades to complete his CFT requirement.
“Despite COVID, training must proceed,” Clemans said. “So, we’ll be ready for whatever the Marine Corps may be called on to take part in.”
| Date Taken: | 10.22.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 10.23.2020 18:29 |
| Story ID: | 381681 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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