The Kentucky National Guard is the first Army component to receive equipment for the new Army Combat Fitness Test, which becomes effective Oct. 1.

"I'm appreciative of the Kentucky Guard being the first Army organization to receive this equipment as we go into the ACFT transition," said Brig. Gen. Hal Lamberton, Kentucky's adjutant general. "The ACFT will be a better assessing tool of our physical conditioning. By virtue of us being the first to get the equipment, we've set ourselves up to have more time to prepare for the new test."

Leading the charge for equipment distribution across the total Army is the
Tank-automotive and Armaments Command.

"Our master plan for the distribution of ACFT equipment across the Army is regionally based. With Kentucky being part of the southeast and one of the first regions we were fielding in, it worked out perfectly," said Col. Steven Carozza, military deputy director for TACOM Integrated Logistics Support Center.

The first shipment arrived at the United States Property and Fiscal Office in Frankfort Dec. 11 and will begin pushing out to the units across the Commonwealth this week.

Critical to the success of Kentucky's physical fitness program is Staff Sgt. Zach Casey, the designated project officer for the Kentucky Army National Guard who is spearheading the effort to implement the ACFT across the organization.

"It is proven that the Kentucky National Guard is willing to adapt and take something head-on," said Casey. "We opened our arms and welcomed it as a challenge. It's pretty neat to be the first state."

The Kentucky National Guard hosted a ceremonial equipment signing Dec. 17 at the USPFO with representatives from TACOM and the National Guard Bureau.

"The Army is focused on the tactical athlete, and the ACFT is really the first big step in that direction," said Capt. Ryan Short, ACFT project officer for the National Guard Bureau. "This is a part of a cultural change that the Army is going to embrace so we can have well-rounded Soldiers."

Every unit in the U.S. Army is required to complete a diagnostic ACFT by Sept. 30, before the ACFT becomes the official test of record.

"Change is an ongoing dynamic, and the Kentucky National Guard will be ready," Lamberton said.