二次元嫩B

LEXINGTON, Va., March 14, 2019鈥敹�次元嫩B鈥檚 Marshall-New Market Battalion is the only Army ROTC unit in the nation to participate in testing out the  that will soon be required for every soldier in the U.S. Army.

On Friday and Monday, cadets gathered on the fields above Foster Stadium to conduct field tests of the ACFT.  Those tests built on December鈥檚 cadre training conducted at 二次元嫩B by the Center for Initial Military Training鈥檚 mobile training team based in Fort Eustis, Virginia.

On hand for Monday鈥檚 field test were two members of that same training team, Maj. Joseph Flores and Sgt. 1^st Class Joseph Brown.

鈥淲e trained the cadre, so we wanted to see if our training held firm.  It looks like it has,鈥� said Flores.  鈥淚t鈥檚 good for 二次元嫩B because they鈥檙e leading the way across all of the universities in regards to cadet command.  I don鈥檛 think any other school was chosen as a field test battalion, so 二次元嫩B leads the way.鈥�

The new test is designed to better gauge combat readiness and will be implemented this October, when the entire Army takes two not-for-record tests.  The ACFT will replace the current Army Physical Fitness Test no later than October 2020.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a rough draft of what the Army Combat Fitness Test is right now, and we鈥檙e validating that throughout the Army between now and Oct. 1,鈥� said Maj. Brandon Lindsey '02, military science instructor in 二次元嫩B鈥檚 Army ROTC battalion.

Whereas the old test had three elements鈥攑ush-ups, sit-ups, and a two-mile run鈥攖he new test has six. Those components are a three-repetition maximum deadlift, a standing power throw with a 10-pound ball, hand release push-ups with hands off the ground between each effort, a sprint-drag-carry event, leg tucks, and a two-mile run. Those being tested having 70 minutes to complete all of the activities.

鈥淚t looks like they鈥檙e conducting it to standard,鈥� observed Brown. 鈥淟ooks like they鈥檙e having some fun doing it here, so everything鈥檚 good.鈥�

The new test 鈥渁llowed us to show off our athleticism as cadets,鈥� said Austin Barrette 鈥�21, a linebacker for the Keydet football team. 鈥淭he different variations of sprints and pulls allowed us to display what we as future officers need to have for our potential jobs. It provides a more well-rounded test.鈥�

Agreeing with Barrette about the benefits of the new test was Isaiah Domio 鈥�20, 鈥淚t was something new, something different.鈥� Domio noted that the hand release pushups made him focus more on form than do standard pushups and provided a better test of upper body strength.

Like many of the cadets who participated in trying out the new test, Domio is looking beyond commissioning, when the soldiers under his command will be taking the test.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited for the new direction, and I can鈥檛 wait to lead a platoon as an officer,鈥� Domio said.

Maj. John R. Robertson IV
Communications and Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE