[Army Times] Army officials are evaluating a version of the stalled Army Combat Fitness Test that would account for biological differences between men and women, according to Training and Doctrine Command.The ACFT officially became the Army’s test of record in October, but Congress mandated a pause on further implementation pending an independent study to determine how it will impact deployed soldiers, recruiting and retention.
Changing elements of the test might also satisfy lawmakers who worried late last year about the disproportionately high failure rates among women. One proposal is that the ACFT could score soldiers on a servicewide percentile, separated by gender, Task and Purpose first reported Thursday.
TRADOC spokeswoman Lt. Col. Margaret Kageleiry said that so far the ACFT is remaining gender-neutral, but the Army "is looking at means to apply those scores based on gender to account for biological differences."
"We are addressing these concerns in coordination with Army senior leaders, Congress, and with those it impacts the most, our American Soldiers," Kageleiry added in an email.
Soldiers are currently expected to train for the ACFT, but scores won’t count against them until a much later date.
"On the current path, we believe it will be mid" fiscal 2022, Kageleiry said. Until then, the Army is working to collect data on different policy options, she added.
How exactly the Army plans to account for biological differences in the ACFT isn’t yet clear. Suggested changes — including adding a plank alternative to the hanging leg tuck — were leaked to an Army forum on Reddit in January.