FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz.— Students at the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence (USAICoE) Noncommissioned Officer Academy (NCOA) took the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) this week as part of “ACFT Week.”
For the past two years, the NCOA has been administering diagnostic ACFTs to its students for the purpose of collecting data on the test, which was reported to the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).
On October 1, 2022, the Army directed that all professional military education schools must require a passing ACFT score either as an entrance or a graduation requirement. USIACoE’s NCOA now requires all students to pass an ACFT before they are allowed to graduate. This week, the NCOA held record ACFTs for the first Advanced Leader Course and Senior Leader Course cohorts of FY23.
According to NCOA 1st Sgt. Cherese Brumer, students are displaying more effort and focus when taking the ACFT than they did when it was not a graduation requirement. The last two cycles of classes had around a 10 percent failure rate, but by the middle of this cycle’s ACFT week, everyone who took the test had passed.
“It’s usually loud,” said Brumer, gesturing towards the students taking the test. “You can tell everyone has that intense focus on making sure they pass.”
The ACFT is generally thought by many Soldiers to be more of a social experience than the Army’s previous test of record, the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT). During the APFT, Soldiers waiting in line for testing were often told to stand with their backs to the Soldiers taking the test and remain quiet in line so Soldiers could hear their grader. In contrast, it is not uncommon for Soldiers to watch each other complete ACFT events and to encourage and cheer each other on.
Despite the added pressure from being required to pass the test, the atmosphere during ACFT week was still very positive.
“I feel like there’s a little less joking around and casualness,” said NCOA cadre member Staff Sgt. Kevin Doss. “But I feel like they still enjoy it.”
Sgt. Victoria Conner, 35F Advanced Leader Course student, said she likes the ACFT better than the APFT.
“My overall thought is that it is fair,” said Conner.
As a petite female, she did not think it would ever be possible for her to achieve a maximum score under the former proposed gender- and age-neutral standards, but Conner believes the current gender and age brackets make it more fair for everyone, regardless of age and gender.
Conner’s one criticism of the test had to do with the controversial plank event. “I wish the leg tuck was still an option,” she said.
Despite having difficulty with the APFT sit-up event after pregnancy, Conner said she was able to do leg tucks and felt motivated to improve her score.
“The plank—I easily max it,” she said. “I’m looking for progression, not to just stay stagnant on one thing.”
Under the old APFT standard, it was common for physically fit Soldiers to achieve the maximum score of 300. Due to the greater variety of modalities tested by the ACFT, fewer Soldiers have achieved the maximum score of 600 on the new test.
Sgt. Martinez Munos, who traveled from Germany to attend the 35G Advanced Leader Course, said he used to easily max the APFT but had not yet maxed the ACFT. When asked if that affected his confidence at all going into the test, he said it did not because he knows he can pass.
“It’s easy,” said Munos.
Social Sharing