MILWAUKEE – We often see our troops in uniform, unaware of how much they physically train to serve the country.

What we know:

As with any test, the grade depends on grit, hard work and preparation. One Army fitness test shows just how demanding that preparation can be, with push-ups that recruits describe as especially humbling.

Tyler Choy, an Army National Guard recruiter, keeps score. He grades each exercise using age, gender and the amount of weight lifted, or the time needed to complete the task.

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Choy says recruits must score at least 60 points to pass each challenge, based on how heavy they lift or how fast they move.

“If you’re looking at maxing, you’re looking at 250 pounds. 60 points to pass the test, you’re looking at 140,” said Choy.

The training is meant to prepare soldiers for a wide range of real-world situations.

What they’re saying:

“To make sure that we have the endurance to reflect whatever our job is,” Choy said.

Those jobs can include responding to hurricanes, protests and voting precincts, sometimes in situations that carry potential danger. The deadly attack on Army National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., serves as a grim reminder of the reality of that work.

“I do know that, in the back of my mind, there’s a possibility that could happen, but I have the ability to serve and help other people and that’s what I decided to put above my own interests,” Choy said.

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Choy emphasized the importance of endurance and stamina when responding to emergencies or unexpected events.

“Sometimes, in the line of work we do, we need to react quickly and react with a lot of pressure and momentum,” he said.

Big picture view:

He helps build that momentum by training future leaders in the military, even before they ship out to basic training.

“You don’t need to pass this test before going to basic training, but the more we are able to help people prepare for it, the better chances of them passing at basic training,” Choy said.

And with any test, the goal is the same: to be ready to succeed.