3:
Hex bars
Bumper plates
Sled with pull strap
10-pound medicine ball
40-pound kettlebells
Metric measuring tape
Climbing bars or a climbing pod
Each unit should have the right equipment for modified ACFTs, too, which I cover in the “Biking, Rowing, or Swimming Your Way through the Alternate Events” section of this chapter. The stationary bike must feature adjustable handlebars and an adjustable seat, as well as an accurate odometer. The rower must be stationary and feature a seat, handles, and rail that can accommodate soldiers of different sizes. It has to have an accurate odometer that measures time, distance, and resistance level.
Getting used to gender- and age-neutral scoring requirements
No matter who you are or where you are in your military career, you’re held to the same ACFT standards as every other soldier in your military occupational specialty. The ACFT has gender- and age-neutral scoring requirements, which means females and males must achieve the same minimum scores on the test (although the test does have three physical demand categories that apply to different MOSs, which I cover in Chapter 4). Whether you’re an enlisted soldier, a warrant officer, or a commissioned officer, you have to meet the same standards as your peers across the board, based on your job.
Diagnostic ACFTs versus record ACFTs: Pinning down test frequency
The Army’s policies on taking the ACFT are considered “living documents,” which means the higher-ups can change them as necessary. Because the test is new in the grand scheme of things — the APFT dominated physical fitness for four decades — the frequency of testing may change. As of this writing, the Army expects the administration part of the ACFT to be very similar to the APFT. That means your unit can schedule a test at any time.
WHAT ABOUT THE OPAT?
If you joined the Army within the last few years, you’ve probably taken an Occupational Physical Assessment Test, or OPAT. All recruits take it to see whether they’re fit to fight in certain MOSs, and even some soldiers who reclass to a different MOS are required to take it. The OPAT is entirely separate from the ACFT, but it does have some similarities. The OPAT has four physical demand categories: Heavy, Significant, Moderate, and Unqualified. (Soldiers who are reclassing to an MOS with a higher physical demand category than the one they currently have must take the test.) The OPAT requires soldiers to perform a standing long jump, a seated power throw, a strength deadlift, and an interval aerobic run. So what happens if someone fails the OPAT? If the recruit or soldier can’t eventually pass, recruiters and retention personnel may be able to renegotiate to allow him or her to enter an MOS with a lower physical demand category.
AR 350-1 says, “Commanders may administer the APFT as often as they wish; however, they must specify beforehand when the results are for record. The AA and Active Guard/Reserve (AGR) Soldiers will take the APFT at least twice each calendar year. A minimum of 4 months will separate record tests if only two record tests are given. The intent is for the Active Army and the AGR Soldiers to take a record APFT every 6 months. Mission requirements often prevent the even spacing of record tests. Therefore, commanders are encouraged to test Soldiers for record as close to the record test window as possible.”
Breaking Down the Six Events and Their Scoring
The ACFT’s six events all count toward your score. And just like the APFT, if you fail one event, you fail the whole ACFT. (No pressure, though.) You have to complete all six events, in order, on the same day, and the test can’t take more than 120 minutes. That includes the Preparation Drill and the following:
3 Repetition Maximum Deadlift, or MDL
Standing Power Throw, or SPT
Hand Release Push-Up – Arm Extension, or HRP
Sprint-Drag-Carry, or SDC
Leg Tuck, or LTK
Two-Mile Run, or 2MR
If you fail one of the events, you can’t stop taking the ACFT. You have to complete the remaining events to the best of your ability.
Each event is worth 100 points, so a perfect score is 600. Every MOS falls into one of three physical demand categories: Heavy, Significant, and Moderate. Each soldier in that MOS must meet at least the minimum score for his or her physical demand category to pass. You need a minimum of 60 points in each event for the Moderate category, 65 points for the Significant category, and 70 points for the Heavy category. Table 2-1 shows the absolute minimum scores you must get in each event for each physical demand category (and you can find your MOS’s physical demand category, as well as the points awarded for each score, in Chapter 4).
TABLE 2-1 Minimum ACFT Physical Demand Requirements
| Category | MDL | SPT | HRP | SDC | LTK | 2MR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate (Gold) | 140 pounds | 4.5 meters | 10 | 3:00 | 1 | 21:00 |
| Significant (Gray) | 180 pounds | 6.5 meters | 20 | 2:30 | 3 | 19:00 |
| Heavy (Black) | 200 pounds | 8.0 meters | 30 | 2:10 | 5 | 18:00 |
