US Army Rethinking Army Physical Fitness Test with Cadets' Help
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MAY 3, 2018 1 THE M AY 3 , 2 0 1 8 VOL. 75, NO. 17 ® UTY ONOR OUNTRY OINTER IEW D , H , C PSERVING THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY AND THE COMMUNITY V OF WEST POINT ® President Donald Trump receives a No. 45 Army West Point Football jersey from senior quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw (far right) and senior defensive lineman John Voit (second from right) during a ceremony Tuesday at the White House to honor the Army West Point Football team for earning the Commander in Chief’s Trophy in December with its 14-13 victory over Navy. The Black Knights were guests of the President in the Rose Garden for a short ceremony that congratulated Army West Point on a great season. Head coach Jeff Monken (second from left) spoke after President Trump and thanked him and the White House for allowing them to visit. He also talked about his team and mentioned that what they accomplished this season was something great, and achieved one of their biggest goals this year—being in the Rose Garden with the CIC Trophy. Photo by Dustin SatloFF Army Football honored at White House New approach to physical training (Above) A cadet attempts the deadlift task during the Army Combat Fitness Test event April 27 at Daly Field. In the deadlift, cadets must lift their maximum weight three times. The Department of the Army is looking into new physical training methods that are occupationally-based physical fi tness assessment rather than a health-based approach. See Page 3 for ACFT story. Photos by Kathy Eastwood/PV #USMA Social Scene POINTER VIEW New USMA Command Sergeant INSIDE & ONLINE Major annoucement. SEE PAGE 8 2 MAY 3, 2018 NEWS & FEATURES POINTER VIEW Rededicating Corbin Momument Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution and cadets help unveil the monument during the rededication of the Margaret Corbin Monument Tuesday at the Old Cadet Chapel. See next week’s Pointer View for the Corbin unveil story and photos. 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[email protected] POINTER VIEW IN FOCUS: ARMY COMBAT READINESS TRAINING MAY 3, 2018 3 U.S. Army rethinking Army Physical Fitness Test with cadets’ help Story and photo by Kathy Eastwood Staff Writer The Department of the Army is looking into new ways to ensure Soldiers are strong, fit, mentally strong and resilient, and they are starting with the consideration of replacing the Army Physical Fitness Test, or APFT, which has been the standard for the past 40 years and is basically a health-based physical fitness assessment, one that tests muscular and physical endurance. The new Army Combat Fitness Test, or ACFT currently is slated to begin testing across the Army in stages. “The ACRT (Army Combat Readiness Test) is being renamed the Army Combat Fitness Test-ACFT to better align the name with the purpose,” Michael McGurk, research and analysis director at U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training at Fort Eustis, Virginia, said. “We expect the test to roll out across the Army in stages over the next two or three years and expect it to take about 12-18 months of large scale pilot testing (to help determine final cut-off scores), fielding of equipment, training and, then all Army for record in a couple of years, give or take.” McGurk said that work by many experts, including the Department of Physical Education at West Point, has shown that fitness is composed of many different aspects. “Dr. Whitfield East, former director of instruction and program director for walking backward while pulling a weighted kinesiology in DPE was the lead researcher sled to the line and back. Once back at the behind the test,” McGurk said. starting line, they drop the sled and grasp With the ever increasing challenging two-40-pound kettlebells, returning to the far combat environment, it is necessary to train line and back. After returning and dropping the Soldiers to be the best they can be to be capable kettlebells, they then sprint, sideways to the of responding to any situation and any given far line and back. All of this is a timed event. moment. • Leg tuck. Cadets grasp the bar with Fitness is one way of training Soldiers, but an alternating neutral grip in the dead hang the Army is also enhancing training in other position before flexing with elbows, hips and important ways. waist to bring knees up, touching both elbows “The Army is fielding a new Holistic before returning to the dead hang position and Health and Fitness System, which will include repeat as many times as possible. increased resources (personnel and equipment) • Standing power throw: Cadets face in every unit and eventually new facilities as backwards holding a 10-pound medicine ball, well,” McGurk said. “The Army will spend lower the ball to touch the ground, rise up and over $350 million in the next four years throw the ball backwards over the head as far directly on this program to raise the bar for all as possible. Soldiers’ fitness.” • Three-repetition deadlift: A kind of The Holistic Health and Fitness System will weight-lifting event. A cadet steps into a trap encompass all aspects of human performance bar, complete with weights, feet are shoulder to optimize individual readiness and will width apart. The cadets then bend at the knees include optimizing the holistic health and and hips while reaching down to grasp the fitness of each Soldier by achieving increased handles with their arms fully extended, stands resilience; improved health fitness and physical up and lifts the bar by extending hips and knees (Above photos) Cadets drag a sled in the sprint/drag/carry exercise during the fitness; and improved mental and emotional until becoming fully upright, pauses and then Army Combat Fitness Test April 27. In this test, the cadets sprint 50 meters, drag health and stress management. returns the bar to the ground while maintaining Roughly 30 cadets tested the ACFT April a flat back and without leaning forward. This a 90-pound sled for 50 meters, sprint another 50 meters, carry two 40-pound 27, which consisted of six physical fitness is repeated three times. kettlebells for 50 meters and then sprint a final 50 meters—sideways. The tasks. • 1.5-mile run: Cadets ran a 1.5-mile run Department of the Army is looking into new physical training methods that are • T push up: a modification of the usual course that is solid with no more than a 3 occupationally-based physical fitness assessment rather than health-based pushup where one lowers oneself to the ground percent uphill grade and no overall decline. approach. extending the arms into a T position before “The Army commissioned exercise occupation specialty, or gender, including tasks the current three events in APFT.” returning to the starting pushup position. Legs physiologists to study and analyze what such as react to direct fire, react to indirect The test is still pending final approval by are to stay together and eyes to the ground. we call high physical demand tasks,” Maj. fire, evacuate a casualty, react to man-to-man senior Army leadership. • 250-meter sprint/drag/carry. A cadet Alexander Bedard, DPE instructor, said. contact and employ hand grenades. These tasks Over the final development of the test, it begins in the prone position, stands up and “These are physical requirements common to require a much more broad physical fitness, is expected events will be reviewed for minor sprints 25 meters and back, followed by all Soldiers regardless of age, rank, military and as such, the ACFT has six events versus adjustments in form and technique. 4 MAY 3, 2018 POINTER VIEW Department of History brings history alive with weapons shoot Story and photos by Kathy Eastwood Staff Writer Roughly 100 newly declared history majors, and those who performed well in history, were invited to the Department of History’s Historic Weapons Shoot April 21 at the West Point ranges.