Combat Fitness Test
Encyclopedia
A Combat Fitness Test was the name given to a test of fitness administered by the British Army
(is now known as Annual Fitness Test AFT) and the United States Marine Corps
.
personal weapon, across rough terrain and roads. The distance covered and the exact weight of the equipment carried depends upon the type of unit, but is usually 6 or 8 miles and 15kg to 25kg dependent on service or arm.
Typically, British Army Infantry
units will carry the most weight (25kg). Combat Support Arms (Royal Engineers
, Royal Corps of Signals
, Intelligence Corps and Royal Artillery
) carry a lower amount of weight (20kg). Combat Service Support Arms such as the Army Medical Services
, Royal Logistic Corps
, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
and Adjutant General's Corps
carry the lowest (15kg). Female soldiers carry the same weight as their male counterparts, determined by their cap badge.
This test was implemented in mid-2008 by Commandant of the Marine Corps
James T. Conway
as a more combat oriented version of, but supplement to, the Physical Fitness Test
.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
(is now known as Annual Fitness Test AFT) and the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
.
United Kingdom
In the British Army, the Annual Fitness Test is designed to assess soldiers' lower and upper body strength and endurance. The test involves a fast paced march at 15 minutes per mile (brisk walking pace), in full combat gear including the SA80SA80
The SA80 is a British family of 5.56mm small arms. It is a selective fire, gas-operated assault rifle. SA80 prototypes were trialled in 1976 and production was completed in 1994....
personal weapon, across rough terrain and roads. The distance covered and the exact weight of the equipment carried depends upon the type of unit, but is usually 6 or 8 miles and 15kg to 25kg dependent on service or arm.
Typically, British Army Infantry
British Army Infantry
The British Army's Infantry, part of the Structure of the British Army, comprises 51 battalions of Infantry, from 19 Regiments. Of these 37 battalions are part of the 'Regular' army and the remaining 14 a part of the 'Territorial' force...
units will carry the most weight (25kg). Combat Support Arms (Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
, Royal Corps of Signals
Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army...
, Intelligence Corps and Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
) carry a lower amount of weight (20kg). Combat Service Support Arms such as the Army Medical Services
Army Medical Services
The Army Medical Services is the organisation responsible for administering the four separate corps that deliver medical, veterinary, dental and nursing services in the British Army...
, Royal Logistic Corps
Royal Logistic Corps
The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is a corps of the British Army that has responsibility for the maintenance, servicing and inspection of almost every electrical and mechanical piece of equipment within the British Army from Challenger II main battle tanks and WAH64 Apache...
and Adjutant General's Corps
Adjutant General's Corps
The Adjutant General's Corps is a corps in the British Army responsible for many of its general administrative services. As of 2002, the AGC had a staff of 7,000 people...
carry the lowest (15kg). Female soldiers carry the same weight as their male counterparts, determined by their cap badge.
United States
In the Marine Corps, the Combat Fitness Test has three events:- an 880-yard "Movement to Contact" run in boots and utility pants
- two minutes of lifting a 30-pound ammo canAmmunition boxAn ammunition box is a container designed for safe transport and storage of ammunition. It is typically made of metal and labelled with caliber, quantity, and manufacturing date or lot number...
over the head, earning points for the number done in the time limit - the “Maneuver Under Fire” drill is part obstacle courseObstacle courseAn obstacle course is a series of challenging physical obstacles an individual or team must navigate usually while being timed. Obstacle courses can include running, climbing, jumping, crawling, swimming, and balancing elements with the aim of testing speed and endurance. Sometimes a course...
, part conditioning, and part combat test:- 25-yard crawl
- hauling a simulated casualty using two different carries: drag and fireman's carryFireman's carryA fireman's carry or fireman's lift is a technique allowing one person to carry another person without assistance, by placing the carried person across the shoulders of the carrier....
over 75 yards zigzagZigzagA zigzag is a pattern made up of small corners at variable angles, though constant within the zigzag, tracing a path between two parallel lines; it can be described as both jagged and fairly regular....
ing through conesTraffic coneTraffic cones, also called traffic pylons, road cones, highway cones, safety cones, construction cones or witches' hats or safety wizards, are usually cone-shaped markers that are placed on roads or footpaths to temporarily redirect traffic in a safe manner... - sprint while carrying two 30-pound ammo cans over 75 yards through the same cones
- throwing a dummy hand grenadeHand grenadeA hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
into a marked circle 22.5 yards away - 3 pushups and a sprint with the ammo cans to the finish line.
This test was implemented in mid-2008 by Commandant of the Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
James T. Conway
James T. Conway
James Terry Conway is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who was the 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps...
as a more combat oriented version of, but supplement to, the Physical Fitness Test
United States Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test
The United States Marine Corps requires that all Marines perform a Physical Fitness Test and a Combat Fitness Test once per fiscal year. Each test must have an interval of 6 months . The PFT ensures that Marines are keeping physically fit and in a state of physical readiness. It consists of...
.
External links
- ALMAR 032/08
- Marine Corps TimesMarine Corps TimesMarine Corps Times is a weekly newspaper serving active, reserve and retired United States Marine Corps personnel and their families, providing news, information and analysis as well as community and lifestyle features, educational supplements, and resource guides.Marine Corps Times is published...
, Marine Combat Fitness - Combat Fitness Test Calculator
See also
- Army Physical Fitness Test
- US Navy Physical Readiness TestPhysical Readiness Test-Regular Testing:A Physical Readiness Test, also known as a Physical Fitness Assessment, or PFA, is conducted by the United States Navy to determine the physical fitness of their sailors....
- United States Air Force Fitness TestUnited States Air Force Fitness TestThe United States Air Force Fitness Test is designed to test the body composition, muscular strength/endurance and cardiovascular respiratory fitness of airmen in the United States Air Force...