Female Soldiers max fitness test; motivate others

Photo By Staff Sgt. Ruth McClary | Sgt. 1st Class Melissa Strouse (forefront), of Center Hall, Pa., and Sgt. Donna Smith (left), of Williamson, W. Va., run with a group of 150th Armored Reconnaissance Squadron Soldiers during remedial training at Camp Stryker, Dec. 11. Both women exceeded the maximum score of 300 on a recent Army physical fitness test.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

12.11.2009

Story by Spc. Ruth McClary 

30th Armored Brigade Combat Team

BAGHDAD — A cool breeze evened out temperatures on a warm, sunny morning, as Sgt. 1st Class Melissa Strouse and Sgt. Donna Smith trained fellow Soldiers with a structured fitness work-out, Dec. 11.

Strouse, of Company D, 230th Brigade Battalion, and Smith, of Troop A, 150th Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, raised the bar by exceeding the maximum fitness test score recently in Iraq; motivating others who barely met the minimum.

Four of ten female Soldiers assigned to the 500-strong squadron exceeded the 300 point maximum score on the Army Physical Fitness Test. Strouse and Smith immediately arranged remedial training for other Soldiers who failed to meet minimum requirements, here, helping them to pass before returning back to the States.

"I volunteered to do remedial training with our guys," said Smith, of Williamson, W. Va. "We train twice a day since some of the guys are out on missions in the morning. I drag those guys when we run; making them do push-ups when somebody stops."

"Even though we had a lot of [non-commissioned officers] who offered to help us [Sgt. Smith] was the one who stuck by us to make sure we passed," said Spc. Matthew Champman, of Barboursville, W. Va.

The fitness test consists of a two-minute round each of push-ups and sit-ups, and then a two-mile run. Scores are based on gender and age with a minimum requirement of 60 percent to pass in each event. Ranging in age from 29 to 47, the four women's test scores were equivalent to military maximum fitness scores for Soldiers 17- 20 year olds.

Strouse, of Center Hall, Pa., scored 317 with 40 push-ups, 76 sit-ups, 16:11 run; Smith scored 347 with 50 push-ups, 68 sit-ups, 15:50 run. First Lt. Kristi Berry Ann, of Morgantown, W. Va., scored 306 with 50 push-ups, 76 sit-ups, 15:13 run; Sgt. Frankie Hibberd, of Charleston, W. Va., scored 462 with 137 push-ups, 119 sit-ups, 13:07 run.

"It's good that somebody noticed," said Berry Ann. "It gives females more credibility too; especially in this type of unit."

Cavalry units traditionally fought mounted on horseback. Today tanks and other armored vehicles have replaced horses and Troops are ready and mobile for combat. Female Soldiers are only assigned to headquarters elements, making them a minority in these types of units.

Several male Soldiers of the squadron, who had not taken their test, worked harder to achieve higher scores after word got out about the female Soldiers accomplishments and those that didn't pass joined the remedial training; some improving their scores within two weeks.

"It feels good that they think we can help them and that they want us to help them," said Strouse.

Most of the Soldiers in remedial training failed to meet their minimum time for the run. Smith, Strouse and Berry Ann said they think the reason for failed run times was due to them lifting weights to bulk up without giving much time to running or cardio-fitness.

"I just couldn't make my run time on the [fitness] test," said Spc. Jarred Testerman, of Williamson, W. Va. "Sgt. Smith ran with me nightly and paced me on the run for the [fitness] test, leaving me with a 15:07 run time. She was great!"

"Both Sgt. 1st Class Strouse and Sgt. Smith were great," said Spc. Luke Shipman, of Bruceton Mills, W. Va. "Sgt. Smith ran every step with me on my [fitness] test so I came across the finish line at 15:32."

Shipman passed his run after two weeks of remedial training with Smith and Strouse, improving his time by four minutes. He and Testerman continue to work-out with the remedial group and Shipman said he will continue the same type of workout once he returns home.

Smith pulled a muscle running with the guys but continues to work-out with the group.

"It's funny because now the guys that I do remedial training with can out run me," said Smith. "I always tell them don't just stop [running], stretch or do something. The other day we were running and I stopped [due to my injury] and one of the guys yelled back at me, 'don't just stop, stretch or do something.'"

• Date Taken: 12.11.2009
• Date Posted: 12.14.2009 01:44
• Story ID: 42706
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ