Mata John D, Patrick Amanda L, Tchandja Juste N, Haydu Lauren E, Hogan Kathleen K, Kasper Korey B, Trigg Steven D, Butler Cody R
Special Warfare Human Performance Squadron, United States Air Force, San Antonio, USA.
Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, USA.
Cureus. 2024 Jun 28;16(6):e63391. doi: 10.7759/cureus.63391. eCollection 2024 Jun.
Each year, thousands of individuals enlist in the Department of the Air Force (DAF), with some seeking to become DAF Special Warfare (SW) candidates. This study aimed to compare the anthropomorphic and physical fitness characteristics between these groups during fiscal years (FYs) 2019-2023.
The sample includes male candidates below the age of 30 who attended the DAF basic military training (BMT) from FY2019 to 2023 (N = 119,415). Initial physical fitness testing was conducted during week 1 of BMT. Physical fitness results, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were compared between the two cohorts. A two-way analysis of variance was performed to analyze the effects of group (SW and non-SW) and FY on mean anthropomorphic and physical fitness test variables. Dependent variables were evaluated for homogeneity of variance using Levene's test and for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test. The Tukey-Kramer test was employed for post hoc analyses with a threshold for statistical significance of α < 0.05.
The cohort of SW recruits displayed superior physical fitness results across all FYs (p < 0.001) with the exception of FY2021. They were significantly taller and heavier, and had a higher BMI when compared to non-SW DAF BMT recruits (p < 0.001). Mean values for maximum push-ups and sit-ups for SW recruits were significantly lower in FY2021 (p < 0.001) and not significantly different from non-SW recruits. Additionally, run times for both SW- and non-SW-bound recruits during FY2022 and FY2023 were significantly slower than previous years.
These findings can be used to establish a baseline for anthropometric and physical fitness profiles of incoming SW and non-SW DAF BMT recruits that may inform clinicians, human performance professionals, and military training leaders with information necessary to guide future research and physical fitness policy.
每年，数以千计的人加入空军部（DAF），其中一些人希望成为DAF特种作战（SW）候选人。本研究旨在比较2019财年至2023财年期间这些群体的人体测量学和身体素质特征。
样本包括2019财年至2023财年参加DAF基础军事训练（BMT）的30岁以下男性候选人（N = 119,415）。在BMT的第1周进行初始体能测试。比较了两个队列的体能测试结果、身高、体重和体重指数（BMI）。进行了双向方差分析，以分析组（SW和非SW）和财年对平均人体测量学和体能测试变量的影响。使用Levene检验评估因变量的方差齐性，使用Shapiro-Wilk检验评估正态性。采用Tukey-Kramer检验进行事后分析，统计显著性阈值为α < 0.05。
除2021财年外，SW新兵队列在所有财年的体能测试结果均更优（p < 0.001）。与非SW DAF BMT新兵相比，他们显著更高、更重，BMI也更高（p < 0.001）。2021财年SW新兵的最大俯卧撑和仰卧起坐平均值显著更低（p < 0.001），且与非SW新兵无显著差异。此外，2022财年和2023财年前往SW和非SW部队的新兵的跑步时间均显著慢于前几年。
这些发现可用于建立即将到来的SW和非SW DAF BMT新兵的人体测量学和体能状况基线，可为临床医生、人体性能专业人员和军事训练领导人提供信息，以指导未来的研究和体能政策。
