Walker Thomas B, Lennemann Lynette M, Anderson Vint, Lyons William, Zupan Michael F
J Spec Oper Med. 2011 Spring-Summer;11(2):37-44. doi: 10.55460/XYKE-P4N6.
The United States Air Force combat controller (CCT) training pipeline is extremely arduous and historically has a high attrition rate of 70 to 80%. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of incorporating a 711 Human Performance Wing (HPW) / Biobehavior, Bioassessment, and Biosurveillance Branch (RHPF)-developed physical fitness-training program into the combat controller (CCT) 5-level training physical fitness program.
One-hundred-nine CCT trainees were tested and trained during their initial eight weeks at the 720th Special Tactics Training Squadron (STTS) at Hurlburt Field. Modifications to their physical training program were principally aimed at reducing overtraining and overuse injury, educating trainees and cadre on how to train smarter, and transitioning from traditional to "functional" PT. A battery of physiological measurements and a psychological test were administered prior to and immediately after trainees undertook an 8-week modified physical fitness training program designed to reduce overtraining and injury and improve performance. We performed multiple physical tests for cardiovascular endurance (VO₂max and running economy), "anaerobic" capacity (Wingate power and loaded running tests), body composition (skinfolds), power (Wingate and vertical jump), and reaction time (Makoto eye-hand test). We used the Mental Toughness Questionnaire 48 (MTQ-48) for the psychological test.
We observed several significant improvements in physical and physiological performance over the eight weeks of training. Body composition improved by 16.2% (p < 0.05). VO₂max, time-to-exhaustion, and ventilatory threshold were all significantly higher after implementation of the new program than before it. We observed strong trends towards improvement in work accomplished during loaded running (p = 0.07) and in average power per body mass during lower body Wingate (p = 0.08). Other measures of lower body power did not change significantly over the training period, but did show mild trends towards improvement. Upper body average and peak power per kilogram of body mass both improved significantly by 5.8% and 8.1%, respectively. Reaction time was significantly better posttraining as demonstrated by a 7% improvement during the reactive test. Reactive accuracy also improved significantly with the post test accuracy percentage jumping from 61% to 76%. Furthermore, overuse injuries, a major source of attrition fell by a dramatic 67%.
The modifications resulted in significant improvement in trainees? graduation rate. In the eight classes prior to implementation of these changes, average CCT graduating class size was nine trainees. For the eight classes following the changes, average CCT graduating class rose to 16.5 trainees, an increase of 83%. Due to its success, STTS leadership expanded the modifications from the eight weeks prior to CDS to include the entire second year of the pipeline.
美国空军战斗控制员（CCT）的训练过程极其艰苦，历史上损耗率高达70%至80%。本研究的主要目的是评估将由第711人类绩效联队（HPW）/生物行为、生物评估和生物监测处（RHPF）制定的体能训练计划纳入战斗控制员（CCT）5级训练体能计划的影响。
109名CCT学员在位于赫尔伯特机场的第720特种战术训练中队（STTS）开始的最初八周接受测试和训练。对其体能训练计划的修改主要旨在减少过度训练和过度使用损伤，培训学员和干部如何更明智地训练，并从传统体能训练过渡到“功能性”体能训练。在学员参加旨在减少过度训练和损伤并提高表现的为期8周的修改后体能训练计划之前和之后，立即进行了一系列生理测量和一项心理测试。我们对心血管耐力（最大摄氧量和跑步经济性）、“无氧”能力（温盖特功率和负重跑步测试）、身体成分（皮褶厚度）、力量（温盖特和垂直跳跃）以及反应时间（真眼手测试）进行了多项体能测试。我们使用心理韧性问卷48（MTQ - 48）进行心理测试。
在八周的训练中，我们观察到身体和生理表现有多项显著改善。身体成分改善了16.2%（p < 0.05）。新计划实施后，最大摄氧量、力竭时间和通气阈值均显著高于实施前。我们观察到在负重跑步期间完成的工作量（p = 0.07）以及下半身温盖特测试中每体重平均功率（p = 0.08）有明显的改善趋势。在训练期间，下半身力量的其他指标没有显著变化，但确实显示出轻微的改善趋势。上半身每千克体重的平均功率和峰值功率分别显著提高了5.8%和8.1%。反应时间在训练后显著改善，反应测试期间提高了7%。反应准确性也显著提高，测试后准确率从61%跃升至76%。此外，作为损耗主要来源的过度使用损伤大幅下降了67%。
这些修改使学员的毕业率有了显著提高。在实施这些改变之前的八个班级中，CCT毕业班级的平均规模为9名学员。在改变之后的八个班级中，CCT毕业班级平均人数增至16.5名学员，增长了83%。由于其成功，STTS领导层将这些修改从CDS前的八周扩展到包括整个训练过程的第二年。
