The University of Iowa Technology Institute (ITI) hosted Adjutant General Benjamin J. Correll of the Iowa Army National Guard and several members of his team.

The U.S. Army turned to a multidisciplinary team of experts at the University of Iowa Technology Institute (ITI) and ITI’s internationally recognized Santos technology to provide independent review of its first new fitness test in 40 years called the Army Combat Fitness Test.

The Army could adjust how it scores its new Combat Fitness Test to account for the “biological differences” between men and women, a service spokeswoman said Friday.

The new Army Combat Fitness Test officially became the service’s test of record this past October, but lawmakers are poised to hold off any further implementation, pending an independent study to determine how it will impact deployed soldiers, recruiting and retention.

Democratic senators appealed Tuesday for support of a legislative proposal that would suspend implementation of the Army’s new fitness test, arguing that the high-profile initiative to improve physical readiness is based on faulty data and could undermine the goal of creating a diverse force.

After years of preparation, the Iowa National Guard is set to unveil new fitness training areas. Prompted by the changes to the Army Physical Fitness Test, now known as the Army Combat Fitness Test, Iowa National Guard leaders set out to enhance fitness training areas on Camp Dodge and throughout the state to meet new Army standards.

An Army initiative to create a stronger, fitter fighting force has yielded a dramatic gender gap, raising questions about whether the service might unintentionally compound barriers for women trying to move up the ranks.