The Gambia Army has informed the public that 1 Infantry Battalion Yundum Barracks of its personnel have started a fitness exercise.
“The Defence Headquarters Camp and the 1 Infantry Battalion Yundum Barracks on Wednesday 03 February, 2021 commences CFT and BFT respectively. CFT is a form of test/examination each individual officer/soldier must undergo annually after crossing his/her Basic Fitness Test (BFT).
“This annual mandatory test is conducted in accordance with the Chief of Defence Staff’s Training Directives. It is done to assess the physical strength, agility, endurance and combat fitness of every serving member of GAF in the Khaki uniform. Passing this test shows the individual’s preparedness to shoulder any military activities he/she may be tasked to do.
However, a precursor to this is a Basic Fitness Test (BFT) which involves running without carrying any gears for a total distance of 5km; 2.5km out and 2.5km back to start point. The 2.5km run back to the start point is timed within 10minutes for personnel from below 25 years of age. The timings allowed for passing the fitness test however varies in terms of age and gender. The running is one aspect of the BFT; Push-ups, Squats, Chin-ups and other physical exercises are also tested to assess the physical fitness of the Officer/Soldier of GAF,” the statement from the army said.
The statement added: “Unlike BFT, CFT is a 12km run (6km out/6km back) carrying individual rifles and a haversack weighing up to 15kg on the individual’s back. The Participating troops in Full Combat Order would run and route-march for the 12km with timings ranging from 1-1½hr depending on the unit conducting the Exercise.”
