Fitness regime

SIR – You report (May 6) on how the Army’s fitness regime is to be brought into the 21st century, concentrating on short bursts of strength and conditioning training rather than long marches in full kit (tabbing).

The problem was recognised 30 years ago, particularly in relation to perceived poor standards of operational marksmanship. As commander of the Northern Ireland training establishment, I was asked to examine the factors involved, one of which was thought to be the unsuitability of the traditional fitness training regimes.

In a letter written on November 2 1988 to the Northern Ireland headquarters and copied to the Army’s training department, the following was recommended: “The individual soldier should be capable of sprinting 50-100 metres, negotiating walls, hedges and other obstacles and then be able to control his breathing to fire deliberate aimed shots at (identified) terrorist targets in the contact and immediate follow-up phases”.

The letter outlined how fitness training should be adjusted to meet the operational requirement. Analysis of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan indicates that the recommendations of 1988 would have been valid in the recent past and also today.

Sadly, little was done then, but at long last change appears to be afoot. Lt Col Patrick Chambers (retd) Rosedale Abbey, North Yorkshire