JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, WASHINGTON – The District of Columbia National Guard’s 260th Special Purpose Brigade hosted the Army Combat Field Test, or CFT, at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, May 3, making it among the first units to execute the assessment following a recent Department of the Army directive.
The test evaluates combat Soldier readiness, lethality and combat effectiveness. Participants included U.S. Army Col. Lawrence Doane, brigade commander; Command Sgt. Maj. Larry Scott McKennon, brigade command sergeant major; and Command Sgt. Maj. Eric Hayes, operations command sergeant major.
The CFT was directed through EXORD 103-26, an April 22 execution order issued by the Department of the Army that provides commanders across the Army with guidance on assessing the physical and combat readiness of their Soldiers. The 260th Special Purpose Brigade moved swiftly to comply, setting up the evaluation within days of the directive's release.
McKennon said the brigade's rapid response to the order reflects a culture of decisive action and mission-first leadership that defines the D.C. National Guard.
"In the D.C. National Guard, we lead from the front, solve problems and execute without hesitation,” McKennon said. "We set it up and executed today. That’s how we operate. We get it done in D.C.”
The CFT is a seven-event sequence conducted continuously and scored on total time, requiring Soldiers to complete all events in 30 minutes or less while wearing the Army Combat Uniform, combat boots and a brown T-shirt. The test consists of a 1-mile run, 30 dead-stop push-ups, a 100-meter sprint, 16 lifts of a 40-pound sandbag onto a 65-inch platform, a 50-meter carry of two 40-pound water cans, a 50-meter movement drill combining a high crawl and a three-five second rush and a final 1-mile run. The CFT is an annual requirement for Soldiers serving in 24 designated combat military occupational specialties, including Infantry Officer (11A) and Engineer (12A), the military occupational specialties held by Doane and McKennon, respectively, making their participation not only a demonstration of leadership, but a fulfillment of the Army's newest readiness standard. Across the D.C. National Guard, 48 Soldiers hold one of the 24 designated combat military occupational specialties and will be required to complete the CFT.
McKennon also spoke about the enduring importance of physical and combat readiness, regardless of rank or experience.
"The enemy doesn't care about your age, your ailments, your bad knees, your bad back," he said. "We need to be able to fight and win our nation's wars, and this is just a small window into – do you still have what it takes to get to the battlefield and get it done? And I think you can see from the results today that we do, and our organization is ready for the fight."
The 260th Special Purpose Brigade, the only Army brigade specifically designed to coordinate military support to civil authorities and protect critical infrastructure in the nation's capital, continues to set the standard for readiness and the rapid execution of national guidance. Today's execution by brigade leadership marks the beginning of a broader effort across the D.C. National Guard, with 48 Soldiers expected to complete the Army Combat Field Test as the assessment expands throughout the force.