Association Between Acft And The Ability To Complete A Ruck March In Rotc Cadets

Load carriage in the form of a ruck march is a universal requirement for military personnel, and is associated with a high risk of overuse injuries. This suggests that the load carried by soldiers is too great and/or the soldiers lack the strength, muscular endurance, or experience to safely perform the ruck march. Physical training is essential, and is measured by the Army using the AFCT (Army Combat Fitness Test) 3.0. The degree to which the ACFT 3.0, the Army fitness standard, is associated with the field measure of physical fitness, the ruck march, is unknown. PURPOSE: To assess the ACFT 3.0 and its ability to predict completion times for ruck marching. METHODS: Thirteen male Army ROTC cadets, ages 18-25 years, from Central Washington University volunteered as subjects. Each subject completed the 6 event ACFT performed in the following order: 3 Repetition Maximum Deadlift (MDL), Standing Power Throw (SPT), Hand-Release Push-up (HRP), Sprint Drag-Carry (SDC), Leg Tuck (LTK), and 2 Mile Run (2MR). These events were scored using the ACFT 3.0 score chart. The subjects also completed a 6-mile ruck march wearing their uniform, boots, helmet and assault pack, the total weight carried was 21.35 kg. RESULTS: Mean relative load carried was 29.88 ± 2.66% body weight. Mean completion time for the ruck march was 1:20:34 ± 0:13:26 hr:min:ss. ACFT mean total score was 514.92 ± 43.22 points. BMI was not correlated to either ACFT score or ruck march time. ACFT total score was a moderate, significant predictor of ruck march time (r = .64, p = .019). The HRP and SDC combination was a stronger predictor of ruck march time (r = .72, p = .026). The strongest predictor of ruck march time was the relative load carried (r = .812, p < .001). CONCLUSION: When planning ruck marches for training purposes, command-level leadership may want to prescribe pack weight based on a percentage of the soldier’s body weight rather than an absolute load. This may allow team members to pace more efficiently. Direct-level leadership should consider the ACFT overall score, SDC, and the HRP scores to gain perspective on the fitness of the individual's readiness for load carriage tasks. Cadet’s who score specifically low in the SDC or HRPU events may not be physically prepared to perform a LCM without increased risk of injury, and may benefit from further training in those areas.