Military Review English Edition September-October 2014 | Page 15

PHYSICAL READINESS TRAINING U.S. Army soldiers perform the supine bicycle exercise during a group physical training session at Fort Eustis, Va., 22 April 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Teresa J.C. Aber) • • • Injury rates from training for recruits and seasoned soldiers. Perceived lack of effectiveness and efficiency of current U.S. Army PRT protocols. Lack of applicability of the current Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) to combat. Numerous voices contribute to this discussion on a broad professional level. U.S. Army Command and General Staff College students have written extensively on the topic.1 The Army recently updated its doctrinal guidance in Field Manual (FM) 7-22, Army Physical Readiness Training. It is researching and developing a new APFT.2 Many units at the battalion and company level implement PRT programs to meet specialized training objectives MILITARY REVIEW  September-October 2014 consistent with the unit’s mission-essential task list. In addition, soldiers individually contribute to the discussion when they use popular exercise programs such as those available online at www.GymJones. com, www.Crossfit.com, www.MilitaryAthlete.com, www.MtnAthlete.com, www.Sealfit.com, and www. CrossfitEndurance.com. Soldiers choose exercise programs based on their own understanding of the physical requirements of their jobs. Analysis The road to the U.S. Army’s current PRT approach began in the late 1990s as Army leadership recognized the need to provide updated PRT and doctrinal guidance. Researchers from the U.S. Army Center for 13