Does the APFT accurately assess an individual's fitness level?

To me, if you look at things logically and you look at the things we do when we're fighting a war, common sense dictates that some form of sprints, obstacle courses, and ruck marches are a much better way to measure someone's battle readiness than push ups, sit ups, pull ups, and a 2 mile run.

I don't know about anyone else, but I've never been out on patrol and had to drop and bang out 50 to achieve anything.

- APFT is a way and not the way to assess individual fitness level.
- The APFT is a compromise solution and not an optimal solution.
- Compromise solution = best option with resources available that is agreeable to most or all of the stakeholders.
+ APFT can be taken with minimal resources in any location.
- Measures endurance and cariovascular but not strength so much.
- Does not measure fitness or athletic skills directly used in combat (sprint, climb, carry heavy load/person, etc).
+ Provide one standard that is measurable and understandable across all ranks, components and domains.
- Optimal solution = best solution period but may not be best for all or may require obscene amount of resources.
- Other recommend solutions require infrastructure or equipment that is not easily or cheaply obtained in combat or by the National Guard/Reserve.
- Better able to meaure combat skills but see above note.
- Arguable that not all skills needed for all MOS.

How would I change the APFT? Boy, I'm glad you asked.

First event: Pull ups - 1 minute max
Second event: crunches - 1 minute max
Third event: Pushups - 1 minute max
Fourth event: 50-yard shuttle run - 6 reps
Fifth event: 1 mile run

That should get everyone good and gassed.