Physical Fitness in the Armed Forces: A Comprehensive Study of International Assessment Practices

Öz

The aim of this study is to thoroughly examine the physical fitness assessment methods used in the armed forces of various countries and to evaluate the physical fitness criteria necessary for military personnel to maintain their operational capabilities and overall health. Within the scope of the research, physical fitness assessment tests used in the armed forces of 17 countries, including the United States, Germany, Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, China, Finland, France, Georgia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Israel, Sweden, Latvia, Russia, and Turkey, were examined. It was observed that the tests aim to determine the soldiers' muscle strength, aerobic capacity, endurance, and overall physical fitness status. Additionally, it was found that while the physical fitness test and evaluation criteria applied by these countries vary, their fundamental purposes in practice are similar. Research has shown that maintaining physical fitness levels results in increased resilience of soldiers against problems and difficulties they may face in combat conditions, contributing to operational success. In this context, it is of great importance for national armies to continue and enhance their physical fitness programs. Moreover, it is essential to systematically review and update physical fitness test evaluations in accordance with scientific advancements, which will contribute to varying operational requirements in the armies. In conclusion, maintaining and improving physical fitness levels is a critical factor for the operational success of soldiers. Therefore, it should be regularly monitored and enhanced. This research aims to emphasize the importance of physical fitness test evaluations applied in national armies and contribute to the development of related studies. By sharing the practices implemented, it aims to take significant steps internationally towards enhancing soldiers' physical capacities.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Armed Forces
• Physical Fitness
• Testing Methods

Silahlı Kuvvetlerde Fiziksel Uygunluk: Uluslararası Değerlendirme Uygulamalarının Kapsamlı Bir İncelemesi

Öz

Bu çalışmanın amacı çeşitli ülkelerin silahlı kuvvetlerinde kullanılan fiziksel uygunluk değerlendirme yöntemlerini detaylı bir şekilde incelemek ve askeri personelin operasyon yetenekleri ile genel sağlık durumlarını sürdürebilmeleri için gerekli olan fiziksel uygunluk kriterlerini değerlendirmektir. Araştırma kapsamında; Amerika Birleşik Devletleri, Almanya, Avustralya, Avusturya, Çekya, Çin, Finlandiya, Fransa, Gürcistan, Kanada, İrlanda, İngiltere, İsrail, İsveç, Letonya, Rusya ve Türkiye olmak üzere 17 ülke ordusunda kullanılan fiziksel uygunluk değerlendirme testleri incelenmiştir. İcra edilen testlerin askerlerin kas kuvvetini, aerobik kapasitesini, dayanıklılığını ve genel fiziksel uygunluk durumlarını belirlemeyi amaçladığı gözlenmiştir. Ayrıca, ülkelerin uygulamış olduğu fiziksel uygunluk test ve değerlendirme kriterlerinin değişiklik gösterdiği fakat uygulamadaki temel amaçlarının birbiri ile benzer olduğu anlaşılmıştır. Yapılan araştırmalar ile fiziksel uygunluk seviyesinin muhafaza edilmesi sonucu, askerlerin savaş şartlarında yüzleşebilecekleri problem ve sıkıntılara karşı dayanıklılıklarının yükseldiği ve bu durumun operasyon başarısına katkı sağladığı gözlenmiştir. Bu kapsamda, ülke ordularının fiziksel uygunluk programlarını sürdürme ve geliştirmeye devam etmeleri büyük önem taşımaktadır. Ayrıca, fiziksel uygunluk test değerlendirmelerinin bilimsel gelişmelere uyum sağlayacak şekilde sistemli olarak gözden geçirilmesi ve güncellenme çalışmalarının yapılması, ordularda değişiklik gösteren operasyon gereksinimlerine katkı sağlayacaktır. Sonuç olarak, fiziksel uygunluk seviyelerini korumak ve geliştirmek, askerlerin operasyon başarısı açısından kritik bir etmendir. Bu sebeple düzenli olarak gözlenmeli ve geliştirilmelidir. Bu araştırma, ülke ordularında uygulanan fiziksel uygunluk test değerlendirmelerinin önemini vurgulayarak, bu kapsamda yapılacak çalışmaların geliştirilmesine katkı sağlamayı amaçlamıştır. Böylece yapılan uygulamaların paylaşılması ile uluslararası alanda askerlerin fiziksel kapasitesini artırmaya yönelik önemli adımların atılması hedeflenmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Silahlı Kuvvetler
• Fiziksel Uygunluk
• Test Yöntemleri

Kaynakça

1. 1. Alpözgen AZ, Özdinçler AR. Fiziksel aktivite ve koruyucu etkileri: Derleme. Sağlık Bilimleri ve Meslekleri Dergisi. 2016;3(1):66-72.
2. 2. Arora R. The Effects of Residency on Physical Fitness Among Military Physicians. Military Medicine. 2004;169(7):522-525.
3. 3. Brown MJ. Fitness and Its Affects on the Military. US Army War College Strategy Research Project. Pennsylvania; 2005.
4. 4. Bruce MJ. Physical activity, physical fitness and health: Leisure-time physical activity trends in Canada from 1981 to 1998 and the prospective prediction of health status from health-related physical fitness. National Library of Canada: Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, Ottawa; 2003.
5. 5. Buckley JP. Exercise Physiology in Special Populations. Philadelphia: Elsevier; 2008.
6. 6. Canadian Land Force Command. Army Fitness Manual (B- GL-382-001/PT-001). Ontario; 2005. 7. Chahal HPS. Army Physical Fitness Performance Standards Based on Body Composition, Muscular Strength and Endurance. Doctoral thesis. Alberta: University of Alberta; 1993.
7. 8. Chen Z, Du J, Hu Y, et al. Weekly cumulative extracurricular core training time predicts cadet physical performance: A descriptive epidemiological study. Heliyon. 2023;9(4):e14756. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14756
8. 9. Civil T. Sporun kavramsal temelleri-1. İstanbul: Efe Akademi; 2020.

9. 10. Conway TL, Cronan TA. Smoking, Exercise, and Physical Fitness. Preventive Medicine. 1992;21(6):723-734.
10. 11. Corroll VA. AAHPER Youth Fitness Test Items and Maximal Oxygen Intake. Doctoral thesis. Illinois: University of Illinois; 1967.
11. 12. Crawford K, Fleishman K, Abt JP, et al. Less Body Fat Improves Physical and Physiological Performance in Army Soldiers. Military Medicine. 2011;176(1):35-43.
12. 13. D’Eliscu F. A Manual In The Organization and Conduct of a Conditioning Program for Physical and Military Fitness and for Combat Training. Doctoral thesis. New York: New York University; 1944.
13. 14. Department of the Air Force. Personnel Fitness Program (AFI 36-2905). United States Air Force Headquarters; 2010.
14. 15. Department of the Navy. Physical Readiness Program (6110.1J). Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; 2011.
15. 16. Eaton R. Prepare for Battle. The Army Doctrine and Training Bulletin. 1999;2(2):16-19.
16. 17. Eisinger GC, Wittels P, Enne R, et al. Evidence-Based Job Analysis and Methodology to Determine Physical Requirements of Special Military Occupations. In: NATO. Optimizing Operational Physical Fitness (AC/323(HFM–080)TP/200). p. 6-1/6-64; 2009.
17. 18. Ekelund U, Sjöström M, Yngve A, Nilsson A. Total daily energy expenditure and pattern of physical activity measured by minute-by-minute heart rate monitoring in 14–15 year old Swedish adolescents. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2000;54(3):195-202.
18. 19. Ergen E. Spor Hekimliği. Ankara: Milli Eğitim Basımevi; 1986.
19. 20. Erikssen G. Physical fitness and changes in mortality: the survival of the fittest. Sports Medicine. 2001;31:571-576.
20. 21. Fitness in the Military. Does the Joint Environment Dictate One DoD Test? http://www.scott.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123112808; 2012.
21. 22. Flanagan S. Fitness and Performance Classified According to Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference for Canadian Forces Personnel Aged 50–59 Years. Master’s thesis. Ottawa: L’Université Canadienne; 2008.
22. 23. Fothergill DM, Sims JR. Aerobic Performance of Special Operations Forces Personnel After a Prolonged Submarine Deployment. Ergonomics. 2000;43(10):1489-1500.
23. 24. Headquarters Department of the US Army. Army Physical Readiness Training (TC 3-22.20). Washington; 2010.
24. 25. Heper E, Sertkaya Ö, Koca C, Ertan H, Kale M, Terekli S. Spor bilimlerine giriş. Eşkişehir: Açık Öğretim Fakültesi Yayını; 2012.
25. 26. Hertling MP. Physical Training for the Modern Battlefield: Are We Tough Enough? Capstone thesis. Kansas: U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; 1987.
26. 27. Hoeger WW, Hoeger SA. Principles and Labs for Physical Fitness. 7th ed. Belmont: Wadsworth Cengage Learning; 2010.
27. 28. Irish Defence Forces. Defence Forces Fitness Testing. https://www.military.ie/en/careers/faqs/defence-forces-fitness-testing/; 2024.
28. 29. Isır T. Örgütlerde Personel Seçim Süreci: Bir Kamu Kuruluşundaki Yönetici Personelin Kişilik Özelliklerinin Tespit Edilerek Personel Seçim Sürecinin İyileştirilmesi Üzerine Bir Araştırma. Doctoral thesis. Adana: Çukurova University; 2006.
29. 30. İngiliz Savunma Bakanlığı Web Sitesi. Fitness Training-A Sensible Guide to Preparing for Selection in the Gurkhas; 2012.
30. 31. Kamuk YU. Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri'nde fiziksel uygunluğun değerlendirilmesi. Doctoral thesis. Ankara: Gazi University; 2013.
31. 32. Knapik J, Daniels W, Murphy M, et al. Physical Fitness and Infantry Operations. Massachusetts: U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine; 1983.
32. 33. Knapik JJ. The Validity of Self-Reported Physical Fitness Test Scores. Military Medicine. 2007;172(2):115-120.
33. 34. Lison A, Pothoff T, Raida K, et al. Aussagekraft Sportmotorischer Testverfahren für die Streitkräfte. Wehrmedizinische Monatsschrift. 2011.
34. 35. McLaughlin R, Wittert G. The Obesity Epidemic: Implications for Recruitment and Retention of Defence Force Personnel. Obesity Reviews. 2009;10:693-699.
35. 36. Ministère de la Défense. Instruction Relative au Controle de la Condition Physique du Militaire (CCPM 126/DEF/EMA/EMP.3/NP). ÉTAT Major Des Armées, Paris; 2007.
36. 37. Moore GC. An Analytical Study of Physical Fitness Test Variables. Doctoral thesis. Illinois: University of Illinois; 1955.
37. 38. Moran DS. Gender Differences in Physical Fitness of Military Recruits During Army Basic Training. NATO AC/323(HFM-158/TP/237 Impacts of Gender Differences on Conducting Operational Activities RTO Meeting; 2008.
38. 39. Naghii MR. The Importance of Body Weight and Weight Management for Military Personnel. Military Medicine. 2006;171:550-555.
39. 40. Nande PJ, Vali SA. Fitness Evaluation Tests for Competitive Sports. Mumbai: Himalaya Publishing; 2010.
40. 41. Nindl BC. Physical Performance Responses During 72 h of Military Operational Stress. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. July 2002:1814-1822.
41. 42. Plavina L. Characteristics of Physical Preparedness and Physical Fitness of the Military Officers and Soldiers. Papers on Anthropology. 2007;16:237-243.
42. 43. Plavina L. Preparedness and Physical Fitness of Military Personnel. Papers on Anthropology. 2008;17:255-264.
43. 44. Porter SC. The Soldier’s Load. Infantry. May-June 1992:19-22.
44. 45. Robbins AS, Chao SY, Fonseca VP, Snedecor MR, Knapik JJ. Predictors of Low Physical Fitness in a Cohort of Active-Duty U.S. Air Force Members. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2001;20(2):90-96.
45. 46. Sackett PR, Mavor AS. Assessing Fitness for Military Enlistment: Physical Medical and Mental Health Standards. Washington: National Academies Press; 2006.
46. 47. Sandıkçı MB. Sportif rekreasyonel faaliyetler ile sağlık açısından metaverse ve sanal gerçeklik teknolojisi. Beden Eğitimi Ve Spor Araştırmaları. 2022;65.
47. 48. Sperlich B, Fricke H, Marees M, Linville JW, Mester J. Does Respiratory Muscle Training Increase Physical Performance? Military Medicine. 2009;174:977-982.
48. 49. Stophel WC. The Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test: The Need to Replace It with a Combat Fitness Test. Virginia: United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College; 2008.
49. 50. Strong GR. Descriptive Comparisons of United States Military Physical Fitness Programs. The Sport Journal. 1999;2(2).
50. 51. Sturgeon J, Meer J. The First Fifty Years 1956–2006, The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Revisits Its Roots and Charts Its Future. 2011.
51. 52. T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı Genelkurmay Başkanlığı. Görevi. https://www.tsk.tr/Sayfalar?viewName=Gorevi; 2024.
52. 53. The Marine Corps Community Services. Introduction to the Corps Fitness Test; 2011.
53. 54. The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. PCPFS Research Digests. 2000.
54. 55. The Russian System of Physical Training. https://www.dragondoor.com/articles/the-russian-system-of-physical-training/; 2007.
55. 56. Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri İç Hizmet Yönetmeliği. https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/File/GeneratePdf?mevzuatNo=5905&mevzuatTur=KurumVeKurulusYonetmeligi&mevzuatTertip=5; 2024.
56. 57. United States Army Headquarters. Physical Fitness Training FM 21–20. Washington; 1992.
57. 58. US Department of Defense. DoD Physical Fitness and Body Fat Program Directive. Number 1308.1; 2004.
58. 59. US Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: Department of Health and Human Services; 1996.
59. 60. US Department of the Navy. Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test and Body Composition Program Manual (MCO P6100.12). Washington; 2002.
60. 61. US Department of the Navy. Marine Corps Physical Fitness Program (MCO P6100.13). Washington; 2008.
61. 62. US Marine Corps. Marine Physical Readiness Training for Combat, MCRP 3-02A. Virginia; 1988.
62. 63. Wayne LS. Task Related Aerobic and Anaerobic Physical Fitness Standards for the Canadian Army. Doctoral thesis. Alberta: University of Alberta; 1992.
63. 64. Weiglein LH. The Validity of the One-Mile Walk Test as a Predictor of Aerobic Capacity in Air Force Males. Master’s thesis. Illinois: Southern Illinois University; 2010.
64. 65. Worden TE. A Comparison of the US Air Force Fitness Test and Sister Services’ Combat-Oriented Fitness Tests. Master’s thesis. Ohio: The Air Force Institute of Technology Air University; 2009.
65. 66. Wyss T, Beuchat C, Zehr S, Mader U. Physical Performance in Young Men at Swiss Army Recruitment 1982 to 2005. 2011.
66. 67. Wyss T, Marti B, Rossi S, Kohler U, Mader U. Assembling and Verification of a Fitness Test Battery for the Recruitment of the Swiss Army and Nation-wide Use. Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Sportmedizin. 2007;55(4):126-131.