CadetDreamer

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My MSG just told our MSIII class that the PT test for OML record at camp this coming summer will be the ACFT. This is the first time I am hearing this information. Has anyone heard anything on this?
 
I had not heard that the other services, or AROTC were going to the ACFT for 2020. Thought it was just being phased in throughout the AD Army. This year our DS (at WP) only had to pass the APFT. They were told training for the "new" ACFT would be ongoing and it would "phased in" by October 2020, with all AD (officer and enlisted) needing to pass by that time. There was no mention of other services, or ROTC units moving to the ACFT, our other son (at NROTC) has said nothing about any change over to the Army requirements. Maybe it is not mandatory pass, but a move towards the new standards to give students time to adapt? Supposedly cadets will need to pass the ACFT to Commission after 2020.

I can definitely see the Army and Marines moving to this, but the Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard I have heard nothing regarding them moving to this for everyone being mandated in 2020. If anyone has specifics PLEASE advise. The events for the ACFT are:
There are six events in the ACFT:

  • Strength Deadlift. This is a three-repetition maximum deadlift to test muscular strength; it mimics movement to safety and effectively lifting and carrying heavy loads.
  • Standing Power Throw. This event involves throwing a 10-pound medicine ball as far as possible over the head and to the rear. It measures upper and lower muscular power, balance and whole body flexibility.
  • Hand-Raised Push-ups. This event forces the soldier to go all the way to the floor and raise his hands before coming back up again, measuring upper-body muscular endurance.
  • A 250-Meter Sprint, Drag and Carry. This is five different events within one event -- a 50-meter sprint; a backward 50-meter drag of a 90-pound sled; a 50-meter movement; a 50-meter carry of two 40-pound kettle bells; and a final 50-meter sprint. It measures muscular strength, power, speed and reaction time.
  • Leg Tuck. A soldier hangs perpendicular to the pull-up bar and brings his knees up to his elbows and back down again for one repetition. It measures muscular strength, endurance and grip.
  • Two-Mile Run. The ACFT retains the two-mile run portion of the APFT, which is designed to measure aerobic and muscular endurance.
 
My MSG just told our MSIII class that the PT test for OML record at camp this coming summer will be the ACFT. This is the first time I am hearing this information. Has anyone heard anything on this?
Not sure why this is a surprise. The ACFT was scheduled to go into effect in 2020. Next summer is the summer of 2020. Seems obvious to me.
 
I can definitely see the Army and Marines moving to this, but the Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard I have heard nothing regarding them moving to this for everyone being mandated in 2020. If anyone has specifics PLEASE advise.
You do realize this is an Army test, and the other branches aren’t involved in this change...?

Cadets...If you read your contract you will see a paragraph near the end that talks about changes to standards. The Army ROTC contract stipulates that you understand you will meet whatever the current standards are and that the standards can change. This year when I go over the contract with new Cadets the ACFT is the perfect example. The standards are changing, the Army expects you to meet those standards. The Army is smart enough to know that soldiers will need to change the way they train and there may be some growing pains. Your cadre should be keeping you apprised of the changes and the expectations.
 
I was told that the ACFT at Advanced Camp will be a diagnostic, with the APFT being for record. But knowing the Army I am sure it will change.
 
If this is the case (next summer being for practice), everyone involved in any Army Program (Academy, AROTC, Enlisted) probably needs to prepare well for the ACFT. Cadets at WP were told training would start soon on helping cadets prepare and pass the ACFT, and that anyone who commissions after implementation (Oct 2020) will need to pass the ACFT, to commission and probably pass it again every year or two thereafter. According to the Army, even if you pass the APFT test next summer, you will be tested for the ACFT come October, so be ready!
 
Looking at the Army ACFT site today it seems that the "hand release" pushup has very recently been replaced (Sep 27 2019) with the "arm extension" pushup. Also states that the standards are same for male and female, but are also MOS specific.

https://www.army.mil/acft/
https://www.army.mil/article/227494?acft

From the article:
"The changes, locked in for fiscal year 2020, include the official testing standards for all Soldiers, each one tailored to an individual's military occupational specialty. Also, all Initial Military Training (Officers and Enlisted) will take the ACFT as a graduation requirement, and the arm-extension pushup will replace the hand-release pushup.

The ACFT is expected to be the standard fitness test for all Soldiers by October 2020."


Later in same article:
"To decide test scores, every MOS in the Army will be given a color code -- either gold, gray, or black -- to correlate with the frequency of the high physical demands within their respective careers. The three categories will then determine ACFT passing scores, regardless of age or gender.

The standards, broken into color-coded categories is similar to the Army's Occupational Physical Assessment Test, or OPAT, which is administered to all recruits to assess their fitness for various careers, with black typically reserved for combat arms careers.

Based on feedback received from Soldiers, Hibbard said Soldiers are "excited" about the ACFT, because every Soldier in their career field will compete along the same standard, adding "that standard is what is necessary for them to be successful in their occupational specialty."


Details on test:
https://www.army.mil/e2/downloads/rv7/acft/acft_field_testing_manual_final.pdf#page=24

"Soldiers will have to meet the Gold Standard as a requirement to graduate from Basic Combat Training, Advanced Individual Training, One Station Unit Training, Basic Officer Leadership and the Warrant Officers Basic Leadership courses"
https://www.army.mil/standto/2019-09-27?a

The Army ACFT site also at the bottom lists alternate assessments (biking, swimming, rowing) for soldiers with permanent profiles and links to you tube videos of each along with LOTS of other ACFT related resources.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7Wkp7VPLbap7JmWkdTYqp-YSgnNLWBgi

Hope this is helpful. Just a few minutes of google search since I was interested myself. I know nothing about the Army so this is all that I can contribute.
 
CST 2020 the test of record is APFT. ACFT is diagnostic only. No official word on the fall/spring test of record for SY 20-21, but the assumption is ACFT. Unknown on what contracting test will be for cadets.
 
My daughter is currently AROTC MSII so it looks like she likely will be in the first group with the ACFT being the test of record. She can max out the APFT but will have more of a challenge with the gender neutral scoring in the strength-based events such as the dead lift and medicine ball throw. She still should be able to max out the run, leg-tuck and push ups but it will be interesting to see how well the female cadets can measure up to their male counterparts with the new test.

One question though. Is the final score still the summation of the various events or is it now the minimum score of any of the events (i.e., worst of 6)?
 
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My daughter is currently AROTC MSII so it looks like she likely will be in the first group with the ACFT being the test of record. She can max out the APFT but will have more of a challenge with the gender neutral scoring in the strength-based events such as the dead lift and medicine ball throw. She still should be able to max out the run, leg-tuck and push ups but it will be interesting to see how well the female cadets can measure up to their male counterparts with the new test.

One question though. Is the final score still the summation of the various events or is it now the minimum score of any of the events (i.e., worst of 6)?

There are 6 events. Each event is out of 100 points. Final score is the summation of all 6 events (out of 600.) In particular, for the deadlift and power throw, you have two attempts and the higher score is taken. Hand-release pushups, sprint drag carry, legtuck, and 2-mile is all one attempt.
 
CST 2020 the test of record is APFT. ACFT is diagnostic only. No official word on the fall/spring test of record for SY 20-21, but the assumption is ACFT. Unknown on what contracting test will be for cadets.
Has it been decided which test will be used for those contracting in the fall? AROTC scholarship website specifically states APFT. Do you think that's correct?
 
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