New research cell set to develop navy specific human performance fitness test
Dr. Lindsay Goulet, PhD
Personnel Support Programs
March 31, 2008
Dr. Lindsay Goulet
As we launch the new CF Health and Physical Fitness strategy initiated by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce Research and Development, Human Performance – a division of Personnel Support Programs (PSP).
As one of the “Lines of Operation”, the CDS has mandated the development of environmental physical fitness standards based on bona fide occupational requirements for all three environments of the CF (navy, army, air force).
The Human Performance cell of PSP will be responsible for developing each new fitness evaluation. A team has been established for each environment and includes a Research Manager and Research Assistant.
As the Research Manager for the navy project, I will be responsible for developing and validating a physical fitness test specific to navy personnel. Working as the Research Assistant is Rachel Blacklock, who previously worked as a Fitness Instructor here at CFB Esquimalt.
We will work closely with the navy on both the west and east coasts to complete this project within the tight timeline allotted by the CDS.
The evaluations developed need to be legally defensible and will be assessed at least once per year. In general, developing and validating occupational physical fitness tests and standards occurs in three phases:
Task Analysis
Purpose: Develop a list of essential and/or physically demanding tasks required of Navy personnel.
Methods: Surveys, observations, interviews, literature reviews, video analyses.
Physiological Validation
Purpose: Based on the list developed from the task analysis, scientifically validate the tasks as being physically demanding and/or essential;
Methods: Laboratory human performance testing, heart rate monitoring, portable oxygen consumption analyses, GPS tracking, measurement of energy expenditure, core temperature analyses.
Test Development and Validation
Purpose: Based on the previous two phases, develop a test with incumbents to test the physical capabilities required to perform all required tasks safely and efficiently;
Methods: Interviews, focus groups, trial testing, incumbent feedback.
To help meet the requirements of the CDS and fulfill our mandate, a Human Performance Lab will be established at the dockyard gym. Within the lab we will have top of the line exercise testing equipment that will not only provide extensive laboratory testing, but will also be completely portable, allowing us to travel with ships on deployments.
The equipment we are acquiring at the Human Performance Lab may also be used for various other testing situations; for example, CISM athletes may be tested pre- and post-training to ensure their training programs are successful.
As we embark on this journey of research and development for the navy, I encourage you to ask as many questions as you need. My goal is to develop the best test possible to help ensure navy personnel are fit for duty, whether at sea or alongside.
I feel privileged to be working on this project and cannot wait to begin with our data collection. We have already been in touch with a number of ships and have started scheduling preliminary data collection for the spring.
If you have any ideas, questions or concerns regarding this project, my door is wide open and I am more than willing to listen to all that you have to say.
I look forward to working with you all over the next few years. I will do my best to develop a test relevant and applicable to the navy.
Call Dr. Goulet at 363-2051 or email her at Goulet.LL@forces.gc.ca.
