Fort Sill Soldiers certify to become Army Combat Fitness Test administrators

By Jeff Crawley, Fort Sill TribuneNovember 15, 2018

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1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Capt. Jacob Elders (center), C Battery, 2nd Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery, performs leg tucks, as Drill Sgt. (Sgt. 1st Class) David Bunker (left), B/2-6th ADA; and Drill Sgt. (Sgt. 1st Class) Tyron James, B/3-6th ADA, monitor his progress Nov.... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Drill sergeants who are Army Combat Fitness Test Level III certified provide times to Soldiers in the 2-mile run event Nov. 7, 2018, at Fort Sill. The runners became ACFT Level II certified so they can serve as noncommissioned, and officers in charge... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Master Sgt. Gabriel Candelaria, Headquarters and Headquarters Section, 434th Field Artillery Brigade, performs the standing power throw tossing a 10-pound medicine ball over his head, Nov. 7, 2018, at Hellcat Field, as Drill Sgt. (Staff Sgt.) Gilbert... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT SILL, Oklahoma (Nov. 15, 2018) -- As the Army moves closer to implementing its new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) Oct. 1, Soldiers across Fort Sill are becoming trained to administer the test.

About 40 Soldiers went through a certification process here Nov. 6-9, to become ACFT Level I (grader), and Level II (manager) certified. The 1st Battalion, 19th Field Artillery sponsored the training. ACFT Level III trainers conducted the instruction at Hellcat Field.

Drill Sgt. (Staff Sgt.) Gilbert Mayer, C Battery, 1-19th FA, was one of the trainers. On Day 1, the Soldiers received an overview of the six event-ACFT, its sequence and how to explain, or pitch it, to Soldiers, he said.

The following day those Soldiers performed the ACFT and received their Level II certification, which allows them to serve as noncommissioned officers, and officers in charge to administer an ACFT. On Days 3 and 4, the newly certified Level IIs taught other Soldiers how to grade ACFT events to become Level I certified.

Mayer said the challenge was to learn the six events of the ACFT, and how to run them within the time allotted for the entire test.

The events must be performed in sequence, Mayer said. Test standards are age and gender neutral; however, each event's minimum standard is categorized by a color, which is dependent on the Soldier's military occupational specialty, or functional area. Gold is the category for moderate physical demand; gray is the category significant physical demand, and black is the category for heavy physical demand.

EVENT SEQUENCE

The first event is the three-repetition dead lift. The gold standard is 140 pounds; gray is 160; and black is 180.

Next is the standing power throw. Here a Soldier throws a 10-pound medicine ball over and behind his or her head. The gold standard is 4.6 meters; grey is 6.5, and black is 8.5.

For the hand release pushup, once a Soldier comes down their chest, hips, and thighs must touch the ground and their hands are lifted off the ground and replaced to perform the next pushup. The gold standard is 10 repetitions; gray is 20; and black is 30, said Mayer.

The sprint-drag-carry event is performed in 25-meter lanes. The first task involves sprinting down the lane and back (50 meters total). Then the Soldier drags a 90-pound sled down the lane and back. Next the Soldier performs a lateral shuffle for 50 meters. This is followed by carrying a 40-pound kettle bell in each hand down the lane and back. It ends with another 50-meter sprint, for a total distance of 250 meters.

The gold standard for the sprint-drag-carry is 3 minutes, 35 seconds; gray is 2:45, and black is 2:09.

The leg tuck requires Soldiers to lift their knees to their elbows while suspended on a pull-up bar with their arms fully extended. The gold standard is one repetition; gray is three; and black five.

The AFCT ends with a 2-mile run. The gold standard is 21 minutes, 7 seconds; gray is 19 minutes, and black 18 minutes.

The current Army Physical Fitness Test consists of three events: pushups, situps, and 2-mile run; and its minimum standards are broken down by age and gender, Mayer said. "The new test is definitely a major change from the APFT, but it's creating a culture of fitness for Soldiers."

Staff Sgt. Ryan Perez, B Battery, 3rd Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery, became Level II certified. He said it was the first time that he had attempted the ACFT.

"There are so many different exercises and some I've never done before, like the ball-throw over the head," he said. He said he would be incorporating some of the movement drills from the ACFT into his unit's physical training, so that his Soldiers will be in shape for the new test.

Master Sgt. Gabriel Candelaria, an infantryman with Headquarters and Headquarters Section, 434th FA Brigade was also Level II certified Nov. 6. He said he was surprised that he met or exceeded all the black standards during his testing because he had never performed the ACFT before.

Candelaria added the ACFT has events, such as the standing power throw and hand release pushup, that must be trained on to understand the techniques used so that one can meet the standards. "There's definitely some prep work; you can't just jump into it and expect to do well."

The sled drag in the sprint-drag-carry was probably the hardest part of the ACFT, he said. "You're going backward, you're dragging it, it's 25 meters down then back -- you get burned out really quick."

Capt. David Johnson, C/1-19th FA battery commander, went through the Level II certification. He described the ACFT test as "a tough sequence of events."

There are 61 battalions (though not 1-19th FA) throughout the Army testing the ACFT, and the Army is still refining the test standards, he said.

Lt. Col. Elliott Harris, 1-19th FA battalion commander, said his battalion will begin a pilot program using the ACFT on basic combat training recruits beginning in February, for the 434th FA Brigade.

"This has been an eye-opening experience because many of the Soldiers have never gone through the ACFT before," Harris said of the certification. The ACFT will build a better, stronger Soldier, he said.