The U.S. Army is implementing innovative strategies to address recruiting shortfalls. One of these initiatives is the Future Soldier Preparatory Course, which includes a fitness track, informally dubbed "Army fat camp", designed to help potential recruits meet the Army's body fat standards. This program, along with an academic improvement track, aims to expand the pool of eligible candidates and ensure the Army maintains its strength and readiness.
The Genesis of the Future Soldier Preparatory Course
Facing a significant recruiting crisis, the Army has identified two key trends in the applicant pool: rising obesity rates and declining scores on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT). In response, the Army established the Future Soldier Preparatory Course at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. This course offers up to 90 days of training to prospective troops who do not meet the aptitude test or body fat standards required for boot camp.
The Army's recruiting challenges became evident when it only managed to enlist 75% of the soldiers it needed last year. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth and Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville acknowledged that the Army end strength "may further decrease to approximately [445,000 to 452,000] by the end of [fiscal 2023]." This is a significant shift from just a few years ago when the Army aimed to build a 500,000-strong active-duty force.
Lt. Gen. Maria Gervais, Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Deputy Commanding General, attributed the need for the prep course to a 9% average decline in aptitude test scores since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Maj. Gen. Kevin Vereen, the USAREC commander, also pointed to long-term factors such as increasing childhood obesity and other medical issues as contributing to the recruiting shortfall.
Eligibility and Structure of the Prep Course
The Future Soldier Preparatory Course has two separate programs: one for academic improvement and one for fitness improvement.
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- Academic Track: This track is for applicants with an AFQT score of 21 to 31, placing them in the upper portion of aptitude Category IV. The goal is to improve their score to Category IIIB, as the service can only have 4% of each recruiting cohort with Category IV test scores.
- Fitness Track: This track is for applicants who enlist with 2-6% more body fat than the military standard for their gender and age.
Applicants with an AFQT score of 42 to 49 can "voluntarily participate" in both prep course programs to climb from aptitude Category IIIB to IIIA, potentially expanding their job selections.
Dual-enrolled recruits with an ASVAB score of 21-30 will start in the academic track at Fort Jackson, S.C. and have up to 90 days to test into a higher test category, with opportunities to test out every three weeks. Recruits enlisting in the dual-enrolled program with an ASVAB score of 31-49 will start in the academic track at Fort Moore, Ga. (formerly Fort Benning) for up to 30 days and have one opportunity to score into a higher test category. Recruits in this track who improve at least one test category may be able to renegotiate their contract and receive the incentives offered in their new test category.
At Fort Jackson, drill sergeants, Army skills instructors, and civilian instructors lead the courses. The focus is on teaching and supporting the participants, who are there on 09M delayed training contracts, rather than the more intense treatment they might experience in basic training. Those who don’t meet the standards will be chaptered out of the Army via entry-level separation but can rejoin in six months if they meet the standards.
In the academic track, 95% of students moved up at least one test category and increased their test score by an average of 18 points.
The Fitness Track: A Holistic Approach to Weight Loss
Troops in the fitness track aim to lose 1-2% body fat per month. They can leave the prep course and join a basic training unit once they are within 2% of the standard for their age and gender.
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The fitness track employs a "holistic health and fitness approach," exposing trainees to diet, exercise, resilience, and reflection. Dietitians and athletic trainers are dedicated to each individual’s personal journey.
Alexia, a student who was desperate to join the army but was above the maximum percentage of body fat allowed, shared her experience: "I really appreciate the drill sergeants pushing me and then also just being there, having the support, that's what really gets me… Having people that can help you and are pushing you - that was really nice for me."
Parallels with Military Summer Camps
The Army's fitness track shares similarities with military summer camps designed to help teenagers lose weight and develop important life skills. These camps typically include:
- Physical Activity: Campers exercise, march, and participate in activities that keep them moving all day long.
- Balanced Meals: Campers eat three square meals a day, including servings of meat, vegetables, and starches.
- Lifelong Fitness: In addition to morning exercise and marching, campers participate in sports and outdoor events that increase strength and stamina.
- Self-Confidence: Overcoming challenges, such as intimidating obstacle courses, helps campers grow more secure.
- Self-Discipline: Campers develop self-discipline through daily routines, such as waking up early, exercising, making their beds, and participating in activities.
- Focus: Limiting distractions, such as cell phones and tablets, helps campers pay better attention and think more clearly.
- Good Manners: Campers learn to show respect and courtesy to those in authority and their peers.
Evaluating the Prep Course and Future Plans
Army officials will evaluate data from the program to decide whether to make the course permanent. Lt. Gen. Gervais said the service will also consider expanding the prep course to other training sites to increase its capacity, depending on demand and results.
According to TRADOC’s Gervais, the prep course pilot will cost around $4 million, and the service has identified 2,000 applicants who could be a good fit. To date, only 3% of those starting the course have failed to make it.
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Addressing Body Composition Standards
The Army Body Composition Program (ABCP) aims to have an effective and accurate assessment of the holistic health and fitness of the force while providing soldiers with the resources they need to improve and preserve individual and unit readiness. The primary objective of the ABCP is to ensure that all soldiers achieve and maintain optimal well-being and performance under all conditions. Soldiers who exceed Army body-fat standards will be enrolled in the program, during which they will receive exercise guidance from a master fitness trainer and counseling from a registered dietitian or health provider.
Army Directive 2023-08 modifies the ABCP. All Soldiers who score 540 or higher on the record Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), with a minimum of 80 points in each event, are exempt from the body-fat assessment. This applies to all six primary events (three repetition maximum deadlift, standing power throw, hand-release push-up, sprint-carry-drag, plank and two-mile run). Army Directive 2023-11 revised the previous body fat calculator to account for the whole Soldier based on findings from scientific assessments of the previous assessments.