The first look at the Army's initial standards for passing the new Army Combat Fitness Test has leaked onto the internet.
The chart, first reported by Army Times, outlines the proposed scoring for an upcoming field test in which 60 battalions across the service will start taking the six-event ACFT beginning in October.
The current Army Physical Fitness Test will remain the test of record until October 2020, when the entire service begins taking the new ACFT.
The chart shows the minimum scores soldiers in the field test must meet for three categories: Black for soldiers in "heavy" physically demanding units or jobs, Grey for soldiers in "significant" physically demanding units or jobs, and Gold for soldiers in "moderate" physically demanding units or jobs.
Check out the recently leaked Army Combat Fitness Test standards chart
Gold is also the proposed overall Army minimum standard for passing the ACFT, according to the chart.
Army officials were surprised by the leak but acknowledged that "the chart is in fact accurate," Lt. Col. Jeffrey Pray, a spokesman for the Army Center for Initial Military Training, said in an emailed statement.
"These standards will be used for testing 60 battalions throughout the Army over the next year," he said. "The field testing will help inform our final test procedures and grading standards."
The ACFT is made up of six events: a strength deadlift; standing power throw; hand raised, or release, push-ups; a 250-meter sprint, drag and carry; leg tucks; and a two-mile run.
Here is a look at the minimum standards:
- Black, for 70 points. 180 pounds on the strength deadlift; 8.5 meters for the power throw; 30 release push-ups, 2 minutes, 9 seconds for the sprint, drag and carry; 5 leg tucks; and 18 minutes for the two-mile run.
- Grey, for 65 points. 160 pounds on the strength deadlift; 6.5 meters for the power throw; 20 release push-ups; 2 minutes, 45 seconds for the sprint, drag and carry; 3 leg tucks; and 19 minutes for the two-mile run.
- Gold, the Army minimum standard, for 60 points. 140 pounds for the strength deadlift; 4.6 meters for the power throw; 10 release push-ups; 3 minutes, 35 seconds for the sprint, drag and carry; 1 leg tuck; and 21 minutes, 7 seconds for the two-mile run.
To get a maximum score of 100 points on the ACFT, the proposed standard is 340 pounds for the strength deadlift; 13.5 meters for the power throw; 70 release push-ups; one minute, 40 seconds for the sprint, drag and carry; 20 leg tucks; and 12 minutes, 45 seconds on the two-mile run.
The final standards for the ACFT "are not expected to be approved until October of 2019, and may be adjusted up until the test is approved for record on/about 1 October 2020," Pray said.
-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
