Monday, July 19, 2010

Soldiers want more combat-relevant PT test - Army News, news from Iraq, - Army Times

Soldiers want more combat-relevant PT test - Army News, news from Iraq, - Army Times: "The Army plans to overhaul the 30-year-old Army Physical Fitness Test and soldiers couldn’t agree more: “Army Strong” should be even stronger.

"Hertling wrote a monograph at the School of Advanced Military Studies in 1987 that advocated an occupational PT test resembling the Russian military’s to better match battlefield skills.

According to Andrey Patenko, a former Soviet drill sergeant, the test when he served from 1986 to 1988 was a tough, multipart affair taken every three months.

The Russian test included an obstacle course, a six-mile run in 20 pounds of combat gear, chin-ups while carrying ammunition, a rope climb without using legs, a grenade throw and a hand-to-hand combat drill.