Photo By Spc. Alex Cano | District of Columbia National Guard, Officer Candidate, Kenyatta Sears, is honored for...... read more read more
The Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) is a rigorous physical fitness test designed to assess the strength and endurance of soldiers in the United States Army. Recently, a female soldier from the District of Columbia Army National Guard made history by becoming the first woman in the DCARNG to score a 600 on the ACFT.
Officer Candidate Kenyatta Sears of the 276th Military Police Company, DCARNG, is humble and focused on motivating others to achieve their own fitness goals.
"I was excited about it, but not as excited as I wanted to be because I wasn't able to bring someone else along with me,” said Sears. “I wanted my peers to also have that same accomplishment, so that will be one of my goals going forward: to be able to motivate, hoping that my score of 600 will inspire the next person to push a little harder." Sears is an inspiration to all those who strive to improve their physical fitness and to be their best selves.
The ACFT is a demanding test that requires soldiers to demonstrate their strength, power, endurance, and agility. The test has six parts: a 3-repetition maximum deadlift; a standing power throw; hand-release push-ups; a sprint-drag-carry; a plank; and a 2-mile run. Sears is not only a physical powerhouse in the six ACFT events but also a leader in life, committed to helping others achieve their full potential and maintaining a positive attitude no matter the challenge.
Hampton, Virginia-born, Sears enlisted in the District of Columbia Army National Guard in October 2014. However, early on in her career as a non-commissioned officer, her natural leadership abilities were apparent as she made the decision to take the next step and become an officer.
Sears is driven by a desire to give a different perspective on leadership and to make a positive impact on the lives of her fellow soldiers. As an NCO, she led from the front, providing hands-on mentorship and guidance to her troops. But as an officer, she hopes to play a critical role in the background work and planning that go into leading a unit effectively.
“The main reason I wanted to become an officer was that I wanted to have a different lens on leadership; so as an NCO, you lead from the front, you do as you're told, you've got a lot of hands-on time with soldiers, and you can mentor them in that aspect,"Sears said. “As an officer, you do a lot of planning. Therefore, you do the background work and think that behind the cameras you have a lot of influence or ways you can persuade them behind the scenes, and I wanted to see how to utilize that aspect of leadership to help soldiers.”
Sears's determination to make a difference, her willingness to take the initiative, and her ability to adapt to different leadership styles, make her a valuable asset to the D.C. Army National Guard. She is a shining example of what it means to be a soldier.
| Date Taken: | 01.16.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.14.2023 14:35 |
| Story ID: | 439192 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 2,255 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Female D.C. Army National Guard Soldier Achieves Maximum ACFT Score, by SPC Alex Cano, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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