Reliability and physical performance predictors of a military casualty emergency evacuation test

This study investigated the reliability of a novel casualty emergency evacuation (CEE) test and its associations with physical performance variables. Forty-eight male reservists performed the CEE test, along with physical performance and body composition assessments. The reliability of the CEE was evaluated across two sessions, using analyses of typical error, intraclass correlation (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV). Pearson’s correlation and multiple linear regression (MLR) were applied to identify variables associated with the CEE. The ICC (0.84) and CV (6.77%) indicated that the CEE test demonstrated good reliability. The strongest correlations were observed between the CEE and standing long jump (r = −0.67, p < 0.001), 30 m sprint (r = 0.59, p < 0.001) and countermovement jump (r = −0.55, p < 0.001). In the multiple regression analysis, body height, 60 s push-ups, standing long jump, and 30 s jumps collectively explained 67% of the variance in CEE time. The reliability of the CEE test was found to be at the level of previous literature, making it a valuable military-specific assessment tool for soldiers. Among the anthropometric and physical fitness domains, body height, upper body muscular endurance, lower extremity explosive power, and anaerobic capacity emerged as the most significant determinants of CEE test performance.