Cpl. Jose M. Morales, 20, of Somerton, Ariz., carries

Cpl. Jose M. Morales, 20, of Somerton, Ariz., carries Cpl. Jairo J. Fernandez, 23, of Watts, Calif., during the fireman's carry portion of the combat fitness test on Oct. 9, 2008. Morales and Fernandez, both motor transport operators with Truck Company, Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, I MEF (Forward), paired up with each other for the buddy portions of the CFT. The company was the first deployed MHG element to take the test for an official score. The traditional PFT focused more on Marines' aerobic fitness with a timed run and crunches and then on upper-body strength with maximum dead-hang pull-ups or a flexed-arm hang. The CFT events combine muscle, agility and endurance to measure anaerobic fitness. Anaerobic exercise reflects conditions in combat, where there are brief moments of high-intensity output, and aerobic is more about a sustained steady pace. The CFT and the PFT will not be scored on the same day. Although scoring for the CFT converts to a 300-point scale next summer, the test won't have bearing on promotion until the next fiscal year.