A Comparison of the U.S. Air Force Fitness Test and Sister Services' Combat-Oriented Fitness Tests
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Air Force Institute of Technology AFIT Scholar Theses and Dissertations Student Graduate Works 3-9-2009 A Comparison of the U.S. Air Force Fitness Test and Sister Services' Combat-Oriented Fitness Tests Thomas E. Worden Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.afit.edu/etd Part of the Exercise Science Commons Recommended Citation Worden, Thomas E., "A Comparison of the U.S. Air Force Fitness Test and Sister Services' Combat- Oriented Fitness Tests" (2009). Theses and Dissertations. 2460. https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/2460 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Graduate Works at AFIT Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of AFIT Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A COMPARISON OF THE US AIR FORCE FITNESS TEST AND SISTER SERVICES’ COMBAT-ORIENTED FITNESS TESTS THESIS Thomas E. Worden, Captain, USAF AFIT/GEM/ENC/09-01 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR UNIVERSITY AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or the United States Government. AFIT/GEM/ENC/09-01 A COMPARISON OF THE US AIR FORCE FITNESS TEST AND SISTER SERVICES’ COMBAT-ORIENTED FITNESS TESTS THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department of Mathematics and Statistics Graduate School of Engineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology Air University Air Education and Training Command In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Engineering Management Thomas E. Worden, BS Captain, USAF March 2009 APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED AFIT/GEM/ENC/09-01 Abstract This research explores how the United States Air Force Physical Fitness Test (AFPFT) events compare to sister-services’ physical fitness test events with respect to their predictability of combat capability. Multiple regression tools, non-parametric analyses, and chi2 contingency table hypothesis testing were utilized to test hypotheses about performances and determine associations between involved variables. AFPFT scores had minimal predictability (adj R2 0.2045) [but improved when raw data replaced scoring sheets, pushups have no maximum, and abdominal circumference and age are removed (adj R2 0.7703)]. Higher Body Mass Index (BMI) predicts higher combat capability (p-value 0.0208). The best two-event model incorporated a 1/2-mile run and 30-lb. dumbbell lifts (adj R2 0.8514), and the best three- event model also incorporates pushups with no maximum (adj R2 0.8819). Completion of the fireman’s carry has a dependency on both BMI >25 (p-value 0.00152) or a waist >32.5” (p-value 0.00521). Improvement in peer stratifications from the AFPFT to combat capability has a dependency on BMI >25 (p-value 3.19E-7), even with abdominal circumference excluded from the scoring (p-value 0.00586). Women were found to have lower combat capability than men (p-value 0.0003). Those who could not pass the fireman’s carry were found to have lower combat capability (p-value 0.0002). iv AFIT/GEM/ENC/09-01 To my Mother, who beat me to both my undergraduate and my Masters degree by just a few months. Mom, thanks for always leading the way in every way. v Acknowledgements I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my faculty advisor, Dr. Tony White, for his guidance and support throughout the course of this thesis effort. The enthusiasm, determination, professional experience, and calming demeanor were always appreciated. I would also like to thank the many other faculty members and exemplary students at the Air Force Institute of Technology for their constant interest, support, and constructive criticism which enabled me to complete this thesis, especially my committee members Dr. Al Thal and Dr. Mike Grimaila. To the volunteers throughout Wright-Patterson AFB, thank you very much for enduring one of my difficult tests and still coming back the next time to do it all over again. Colonel Brad Spacy, I especially appreciate your critical endorsement of my research and you leading by example in your volunteerism, excellent fitness, and in attempting to make some critical changes to our current fitness test. I would also like to thank the professional staff of the Wright-Field Fitness Center who endured me reserving the track and the courts on an almost daily basis for months on end, and to Lt Col Richards, Major Fortuna, and the rest of the staff at the WPAFB IRB office, thank you for keeping me calm throughout the intense IRB process. To my girlfriend, whom endured and excelled in her own academia while still helping me through mine -- you have been wonderful in every way and this effort would have been impossible without you by my side. Lastly, to the two most amazing and devout Weimaraners in the world, thanks for always blessing me with your cuddles and kisses to start and end my thesis-intense days off right. Thomas E. Worden vi Table of Contents Page Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ vi Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. vii List of Figures .................................................................................................................... ix List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... xi I. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement ......................................................................................................... 1 Background .................................................................................................................... 2 Scope of the Study ......................................................................................................... 4 Research Question.......................................................................................................... 4 Investigative Questions .................................................................................................. 5 Limitations ..................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter Summary .......................................................................................................... 8 II. Literature Review ........................................................................................................... 9 Chapter Overview .......................................................................................................... 9 A Century of the Changing Level of Fitness, and Fitness Awareness, in America ....... 9 Timeline of Fitness in the Air Force ............................................................................ 13 Why Fitness Tests are Important to Consider .............................................................. 19 Current Fitness Programs in the United States Military .............................................. 23 The General Fitness Test, the Combat Fitness Test, or a Hybrid? ............................... 29 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................ 34 III. Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 35 Chapter Overview ........................................................................................................ 35 Data and Methodology ................................................................................................. 35 The Air Force Fitness Test and its Association with Combat Capability .................... 39 Possible Alterations to the Air Force Fitness Test ....................................................... 48 Inferential and Descriptive Model Diagnostics ........................................................... 58 Non-Parametric Comparison of Medians .................................................................... 68 Chi2 Contingency Table Hypotheses Testing .............................................................. 70 IV. Discussion/Conclusions .............................................................................................. 75 Chapter Overview ........................................................................................................ 75 Suggestions to Air Force Leadership ........................................................................... 75 General Discussion ...................................................................................................... 78 Mission-Essential Combat Skills and the Current AFPFT .......................................... 81 A Review of the Events of the Three Services’ Fitness Tests ..................................... 82 Evaluation and Discussion Procedures ................................................................... 82 The Standing Long Jump .......................................................................................