Somebody Finally Paid Attention!

Too bad I’m not in that branch of service anymore.

The United States Marine Corps has added a new Combat Fitness Test component to their PFT. It will consist of three events: a half-mile boot and utes run (that is, a run performed while wearing fatigues and combat boots), a repetitive lift of a 30 pound ammo can, and a sort of combat-oriented obstacle course.

I’ve been saying for years that “physical fitness” is not some ambiguous measurement generated by moving around for the sake of moving. “Fitness” literally means “being fit for” something. The military physical fitness tests should all be associated with skills and movements related to the most demanding military activities. My recommendation has been 20-yard dashes (to simulate the 3-5 second squad rush).