8/24/2023 0 Comments Army leg tuck standardsThe Senate provision directs the Secretary of the Army to withhold implementation of the ACFT until a study is conducted by an independent entity that examines the extent to which this test will adversely impact soldiers deployed or stationed in climates that make outdoor physical training prohibitive and the extent to which this test would affect recruitment and retention in critical support military occupational specialties (MOS).įor the past forty years, soldiers have been tested on physical fitness using timed push-ups, sit-ups, and a two-mile run with the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT). Clearly, rolling out this new test is premature. On September 24th, The Washington Post published an article stating that the Army initiative to create a stronger, fitter fighting force has yielded a dramatic gender gap and that this fitness test will elevate physical prowess over other qualities, such as effective and ethical leadership. The ACFT will determine the career path and success of all soldiers currently serving, yet many information gaps and unknowns remain. Since the Department of the Army has initiated the new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), significant concerns have been raised regarding the data used to develop the test, initial test scores, and logistical issues. ![]() ![]() Read the text of the letter here and below:ĭear Chairman Inhofe, Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Reed, and Ranking Member Thornberry:Īs House and Senate conferees negotiate the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), we encourage you to ensure that the conference report retains Section 592, Limitation on the Implementation of Army Combat Fitness Test, from the Senate version of this bill. Soldiers’ careers depend on it and the continued lethality of our force requires it.” It is imperative that we pause implementation until all questions and concerns are answered. However, the ACFT as it currently stands, lowers standards and expectations for young, male soldiers while setting unrealistic standards for others including those with fewer physical responsibilities such as medical personnel, judge advocates, or cyber warriors…We acknowledge that the ACFT 2.0 is a work in progress, but we have considerable concerns regarding the negative impact it may already be having on so many careers. The senators wrote, “We support advances in the Army physical fitness program and policies that promote the equal treatment of male and female soldiers. The senators encouraged the conference members to retain Section 592, Limitation on the Implementation of Army Combat Fitness Test, which would suspend implementation until a study is conducted analyzing the extent to which the new test would adversely impact soldiers stationed or deployed to areas with conditions that make outdoor physical training prohibitive and the extent to which the test would affect recruitment and retention in critical support military occupational specialties. ![]() The senators cited significant concerns about the data used to develop the test, initial test scores and logistical issues, noting that initial results show a dramatic gender gap and a misguided emphasis on physical prowess, even in careers with fewer physical responsibilities, such as medical professionals, judge advocates, cyber personnel, and more. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sent a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committee urging the postponement of implementation of the new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT).
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