ALMAR 032/08
R 011942Z AUG 08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CG MCCDC QUANTICO VA//
SUBJ/CHANGES TO THE MARINE CORPS PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAM//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC C461TPS/-/2008AUG01//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/
1.  THIS ALMAR IS THE FIRST OF TWO THAT INFORMS MARINES OF REVISIONS
TO THE MARINE CORPS PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAM (MCPFP) AND DEVELOPMENT
OF THE MARINE CORPS BODY COMPOSITION AND MILITARY APPEARANCE PROGRAM
(MCBCMAP).
2.  THROUGHOUT OUR 232-YEAR HISTORY, THE MARINE CORPS HAS FULFILLED
COMMITMENTS TO MAKE MARINES AND WIN OUR NATION'S BATTLES.  OUR
FELLOW AMERICANS RECOGNIZE THAT LONG TRADITION AND EXPECT IT TO
CONTINUE.  AS A FIGHTING FORCE, OUR ABILITY TO FULFILL THIS
COMMITMENT AND ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION IS DEPENDENT, IN PART, UPON
THE FITNESS OF OUR MARINES.
3.  I RECENLTLY SIGNED REF A - THE REVISED MCPFP.  RECOGNIZING THAT
MARINES ARE WARRIOR ATHLETES, OUR FITNESS PROGRAM WAS MODIFIED TO
REFLECT THE SAME COLLABORATION OF EFFORT FOUND AT THE COLLEGIATE AND
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS LEVEL.  INTEGRATION OF LEADERSHIP, COMBAT
CONDITIONING INSTRUCTORS, SEMPER FIT, DIET, NUTRITION, LIFESTYLE,
SPORTS MEDICINE AND OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IS ESSENTIAL TO THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM.  MAJOR CHANGES INCLUDE:
A.  DEVELOPMENT OF A COMBAT FITNESS TEST (CFT)
B.  TIGHTENING OF BODY COMPOSITION STANDARDS
C.  DEVELOPMENT OF A MILITARY APPEARANCE PROGRAM (MAP)
4.  THIS MESSAGE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES THE CFT.  THE SECOND ALMAR
ADDRESSES THE BODY COMPOSITION PROGRAM (BCP) AND MILITARY APPEARANCE
PROGRAM (MAP).
5.  CHANGES TO THE MCPFP WILL CERTAINLY REQUIRE MARINES TO MODIFY
CURRENT CONDITIONING PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE COMBAT READINESS.
THE CFT MEASURES THE PHYSICAL FITNESS OF MARINES BY USING TESTS
WHICH REFLECT OPERATIONAL DEMANDS.  THE CFT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO
COMPLEMENT THE PFT AND IS CHARACTERIZED BY ANAEROBIC (SHORT BURST)
ENERGY DEMANDS.  THE CFT IS A THREE PART TEST WITH UNIVERSAL
APPLICATION DEVELOPED AROUND OPERATIONAL VIGNETTES THAT MAY
REPRESENT A MARINE'S COMBAT EXPERIENCE.  IT IS COMPRISED OF THE
FOLLOWING EVENTS:
A.  880 YARD MOVEMENT TO CONTACT (MTC).  RUN FOR TIME WHILE WEARING
BOOTS AND UTILITIES.
B.  AMMUNITION LIFT (AL).  REPETITIVE LIFT OF A 30 POUND AMMO CAN
FOR TWO MINUTES.
C.  300 YARD MANEUVER UNDER FIRE (MANUF).  PERFORM A SERIES OF
COMBAT RELATED TASKS FOR TIME, WHILE WEARING BOOTS AND UTILITIES,
THAT INCLUDE A COMBAT CRAWL, AMMUNITION RESUPPLY, BODY DRAG,
CASUALTY CARRY, AND GRENADE THROW.
6.  1 OCT 08 IS THE CFT IMPLEMENTATION DATE FOR THE TOTAL FORCE.
FOR THE INITIAL PHASE-IN PERIOD, THE CFT IS A SEMI-ANNUAL EVENT FOR
THE ACTIVE COMPONENT (AC) AND AN ANNUAL EVENT FOR THE RESERVE
COMPONENT (RC) CONDUCTED DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR.  INITIAL PHASE-IN
PERIOD WILL LAST UNTIL 30 SEP 09.  INITIAL GRADING OF THE CFT WILL
BE PASS/FAIL WITH MIGRATION TO A SCORED METHOD (300 PTS MAX,
1ST/2ND/3RD CLASS) BEGINNING 1 OCT 09.  THE INTENT DURING THE
INITIAL CFT PHASE-IN PERIOD IS TO COLLECT ADDITIONAL DATA IN ORDER
TO FINALIZE SCORING CRITERIA AND TO PROVIDE CFT FAMILIARIZATION FOR
ALL MARINES.  PASS/FAIL RESULTS WILL BE ANNOTATED IN UNIT DIARY
ENTRIES/FITNESS REPORTS, BUT WILL NOT COUNT TOWARDS CUTTING SCORE
DURING THE PHASE-IN PERIOD.  THE PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST (PFT) WILL BE
ADMINISTERED AS PER THE NORM DURING THE PHASE-IN PERIOD.  THE
FREQUENCY OF THE TWO TESTS (PFT AND CFT) WILL BE DETERMINED AFTER
THE PHASE-IN PERIOD.  HOWEVER, BEGINNING 1 OCT 09, CFT SCORES WILL
BE INCORPORATED INTO CUTTING SCORES AND A REVISED FITNESS REPORT.
INITIAL PASS/FAIL STANDARDS ARE LISTED BELOW. 
7.  CFT STANDARDS
A.  MALE
(1) AGE 17-26:  MTC (3:48), AL (45), MANUF (3:29)
(2) AGE 27-39:  MTC (4:00), AL (45), MANUF (3:55)
(3) AGE 40-45:  MTC (4:19), AL (44), MANUF (3:57)
(4) AGE 46+:  MTC (4:30), AL (43), MANUF (4:28)
B.  FEMALE
(1) AGE 17-26:  MTC (4:34), AL (20), MANUF (4:57)
(2) AGE 27-39:  MTC (4:40), AL (21), MANUF (5:27)
(3) AGE 40-45:  MTC (5:09), AL (17), MANUF (6:07)
(4) AGE 46+:  MTC (5:20), AL (15), MANUF (6:30)
8.  BASED ON PERFORMANCES OBSERVED IN TESTING, THE MAXIMUM
TIMES/REPETITIONS TO EARN 100 POINTS IN EACH EVENT UPON CONVERSION
TO A SCORED SYSTEM ARE PROJECTED TO BE THE FOLLOWING.
A.  MALE
(1) AGE 17-26:  MTC (2:45), AL (91), MANUF (2:14)
(2) AGE 27-39:  MTC (2:51), AL (97), MANUF (2:14)
(3) AGE 40-45:  MTC (3:03), AL (87), MANUF (2:34)
(4) AGE 46+:  MTC (3:05), AL (86), MANUF (3:05)
B.  FEMALE
(1) AGE 17-26:  MTC (3:23), AL (60), MANUF (3:01)
(2) AGE 27-39:  MTC (3:19), AL (53), MANUF (3:05)
(3) AGE 40-45:  MTC (3:49), AL (45), MANUF (3:40)
(4) AGE 46+:  MTC (4:12), AL (38), MANUF (4:20)
9.  A VIDEO OF THE CFT, CFT LAYOUT DIAGRAMS, OPERATIONAL RISK
MANAGEMENT (ORM) WORKSHEETS AND OTHER MATERIALS DESIGNED TO ENABLE
UNITS TO PREPARE FOR AND CONDUCT THE CFT CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM THE
TECOM WEBSITE AT WWW.TECOM.USMC.MIL.
10.  CG TECOM WILL ENSURE ALL FORMAL SCHOOL POI'S ARE ADJUSTED SO
THAT WE ARE TRAINING OUR LEADERS TO PLAN AND CONDUCT A VIGOROUS
COMBAT CONDITIONING PROGRAM.
11.  THIS ALMAR IS APPLICABLE TO THE TOTAL FORCE MARINE CORPS.
12.  SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES T. CONWAY, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//