&*$UXmmm Soldier Performance and Heat Strain During Evaluation of a Combat Fitness Assessment in

The Australian Defence Force is improving the operational specificity of combat fitness assessment (CFA). A prototype CFA trial, conducted using 64 male soldiers of 3 Brigade, Townsville, allowed for the evaluation of both the CFA and the severity of heat strain experienced during physical training and assessment in northern Australia. Maximal aerobic (V02max) and anaerobic (peak and 30-s mean) power were estimated by Beep and Wingate tests, respectively. Peak and 30-s mean powers and estimated V02max were 12.7 ±1.9 W-kg-1, 9.3 ±1.0 W-kg-1 and 45.5 ±6.0 mL-min^-kg-1, respectively. Of 31 soldiers marching 20 km with 35 kg load, 9 (29%) finished within the 4 hours available (WBGT =27.6°C). Of 51 soldiers marching 5 km with 20 kg load, 47 (92%) finished within 55 mins (WBGT=27.1°C). Heart rate (HR), VO2, gastrointestinal (Tp) and skin (TSk) temperature were recorded during the marches (n=5-19). Body weight, urine composition and volume and psychophysical indices of strain were obtained before and after the marches (n=9-50). At completion of the 5 and 20 km marches, high strain was evident from high HR (mean = 83 % [5 km] & 89 % [20 km] of HRmax), Tg