In a reversal, Army to develop modified combat fitness test for injured soldiers

The Army is developing alternative aerobic events for soldiers whose injuries prevent them from fully participating in its new combat fitness test, the service said in a statement on Monday.

By the fall of 2020, the Army Combat Fitness Test will be required Armywide and will include six standard events: deadlift, standing power throw, hand-release pushups, “sprint-drag-carry,” leg tucks and a two-mile run. Initially, no alternatives were planned, but the new proposal could cut the test to half as many events for injured troops, giving them a choice to row, bike or swim instead.

The Center for Initial Military Training, which has been developing and tinkering with the new gender- and age-neutral ACFT, is expected to soon begin evaluating the three alternate events at the 63 battalions that have been field-testing the new standards since last fall, the statement said.

If the modifications are approved, injured soldiers would still have to complete as many standard events as possible, but at a minimum would have to do the three-repetition maximum deadlift, the sprint-drag-carry and one of three substitute events — a 5,000-meter row, a 15,000-meter stationary bike or a 1,200-meter swim, any of which is to be completed in 25 minutes or less — the statement said.

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