Physical training bosses are piloting a shake-up of mandatory fitness tests to help boost the Army’s fighting power.
From this month, a year-long trial of a new soldier conditioning assessment (SCA) begins – a shorter, more straightforward version of the soldier conditioning review.
Troops will have to complete a two kilometre run as well as deadlifts, press-ups and pull-ups, with their best effort recorded for each and used to track progression.
The medicine ball throw, broad jump and sprints that featured in the previous system have been dropped.
Maj Jase Murdoch (RAPTC) from the Army’s Personnel Policy directorate stressed that the updated evaluation is not a pass or fail test, but instead would be used to gather “meaningful data” for the chain of command.
“The SCA is based on science and good military judgement,” he continued.
“The exercises are more functional and purposeful. Soldiers need to be all-rounders – moving ammo boxes, fire and manoeuvre, climbing in and out of ditches or through windows, all of the elements complement those types of activities.
“Because it’s simpler it should also save time.”
The assessment, which remains gender-neutral, was tested on around 900 troops prior to the launch of the pilot.
Part of the trial will review the continued inclusion of heaves. All personnel will have to complete the exercise to the best of their ability but there will be no remedial training for those who do not meet the benchmark.
Maj Murdoch said he was looking forward to analysing the results over the next year.
“We have a bell curve of standards and in 12 months’ time we’ll be able to tell the Army whether it’s getting fitter or not,” he added.
“We want to do everything we can in terms of the chief of the general staff’s order to increase lethality and this is contributing to that.”
The role fitness test, which assesses troops against the requirements of their specific trade, remains unchanged.
