Army Plans to Update Fitness Test
1 view
Skip to first unread message
The Cube
Jul 29, 2010, 10:57:10 AM7/29/10
to 3 Cubed Athletic Center
WASHINGTON, DC -- The Army is planning to update its Physical Fitness
Test (APFT) for the first time in 30 years, and early indications
suggest the new test could include more functional fitness aspects,
such as the Navy’s NOFFS program.
The Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) is reportedly
working on a more combat-focused physical training doctrine, which
would be rolled out no earlier than 2011 as part of a multi-phase
effort, the Army Times reports. An Army spokeswoman told the Times
that a new test probably would not be rolled out until late winter or
early spring.
Last year, when Deputy Commanding General Mark Hertling took command
of Initial Military Training, he told the Army Times that he intended
to re-evaluate the APFT, as well as basic training, which already is
being updated.
Currently, soldiers take the APFT twice a year and receive scores for
the number of sit-ups and push-ups they can do in two minutes as well
as for a timed two-mile run.
“The PT assessment right now—sit-ups, push-ups and running for two
miles—that isn’t a real assessment of what soldiers will be doing in
theater,” 1st Lt. Anthony L. Baiocco, a company executive officer with
the 1-24 Engineer Battalion, Fort Jackson, SC, told the Army Times.
“The basic principle is ‘train as you fight, fight as you train,’ but
PT-ing alone won’t affect our ability to handle the rigors of the
combat environment.”
Officials with the Army’s Physical Fitness School acknowledge that
improvements could be made to the APFT, and suggest it will be
reformatted to include more functional training aspects.
“That’s kind of a flaw with the system right now because the test is
driving everything,” Frank Palkoska, director of the U.S. Army
Physical Fitness School at Fort Jackson, SC, told the Army Times. “We
primarily train for the assessment. That’s the future. We have to
align the assessment with the tasks that soldiers have to perform so
that the commander has a better tool in preparation and planning of
their unit programs.”
Test (APFT) for the first time in 30 years, and early indications
suggest the new test could include more functional fitness aspects,
such as the Navy’s NOFFS program.
The Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) is reportedly
working on a more combat-focused physical training doctrine, which
would be rolled out no earlier than 2011 as part of a multi-phase
effort, the Army Times reports. An Army spokeswoman told the Times
that a new test probably would not be rolled out until late winter or
early spring.
Last year, when Deputy Commanding General Mark Hertling took command
of Initial Military Training, he told the Army Times that he intended
to re-evaluate the APFT, as well as basic training, which already is
being updated.
Currently, soldiers take the APFT twice a year and receive scores for
the number of sit-ups and push-ups they can do in two minutes as well
as for a timed two-mile run.
“The PT assessment right now—sit-ups, push-ups and running for two
miles—that isn’t a real assessment of what soldiers will be doing in
theater,” 1st Lt. Anthony L. Baiocco, a company executive officer with
the 1-24 Engineer Battalion, Fort Jackson, SC, told the Army Times.
“The basic principle is ‘train as you fight, fight as you train,’ but
PT-ing alone won’t affect our ability to handle the rigors of the
combat environment.”
Officials with the Army’s Physical Fitness School acknowledge that
improvements could be made to the APFT, and suggest it will be
reformatted to include more functional training aspects.
“That’s kind of a flaw with the system right now because the test is
driving everything,” Frank Palkoska, director of the U.S. Army
Physical Fitness School at Fort Jackson, SC, told the Army Times. “We
primarily train for the assessment. That’s the future. We have to
align the assessment with the tasks that soldiers have to perform so
that the commander has a better tool in preparation and planning of
their unit programs.”
Message has been deleted
Brett Miller
Jul 29, 2010, 4:22:23 PM7/29/10
to Kevin Napier, 3 Cubed Athletic Center
-----Original message-----
From: Kevin Napier <knapi...@gmail.com>
To: The Cube <3cub...@gmail.com>
Cc: 3 Cubed Athletic Center <3cubeda...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thu, Jul 29, 2010 19:54:50 GMT+00:00
Subject: Re: The Cube Army Plans to Update Fitness TestWorthy of a Tweet\facebook post?
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "3 Cubed Athletic Center" group.
To post to this group, send email to 3cubeda...@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 3cubedac-grou...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/3cubedac-group?hl=en.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages