Clemson University student tops Army ROTC peers in physical test

Published: August 5, 2010

Kara Anderson image by: Clemson University

CLEMSON — Clemson University junior nursing major Kara Anderson finished ahead of more than 400 Army ROTC cadets in the Army Physical Fitness Test during cadet training at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington. Passing the test is a prerequisite for becoming commissioned as a U.S. Army lieutenant. 

Anderson, from Alva, Fla., scored 348 points on an extended scale; 300 is the Army standard maximum score. Her achievement on the test placed her in the top two percent of her 445-person regiment. The test, which measures the student’s strength and endurance, consists of sit-ups and push-ups, each timed over two minutes, and a two-mile run. Scores are aggregated into an overall official Army score.

Thousands of college students from around the world train at the base each summer during the Army ROTC’s capstone training and assessment exercise, the 29-day Leader Development and Assessment Course.

Each cadet must pass the test on the fourth day of training.

This year, more than 6,500 ROTC cadets will take part in the course in 14 ROTC regiments. Each 500-person regiment will undergo a 29-day cycle of progressive training, culminating in the regimental graduation ceremony.

The course is the single most important event in any cadet’s student career. Last year, 4,300 second lieutenants were commissioned through ROTC.

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