Posted on Mar 21, 2019
James N
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Son is at OSUT. Made squad leader and generally doing well. Struggling with pu on APFT. Last score was 235 but only 38 pu.

He has sent a message with "I failed my PT test. I can get recycled and spend a unknown amount of time here. Or I can retake the pt test, if I pass the retake I graduate. If I fail I recycle. But the retake is during honor hill. So I won't be real infantry, the title will have been handed to me out of pity. "
Posted in these groups: P542 APFTEnlisted crossed rifles Infantry OSUT (11B)
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Responses: 9
SFC Retention Operations Nco
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Your son sounds pretty melodramatic.
It sounds like he is reaching out for pity.
He needs to assess his needs and desires and make his choice based on that, and not anyone else's opinion.

On top of that, u.s. soldiers have been infantryman for hundreds of years without going through some silly honor Hill.
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James N
James N
>1 y
No no. He isn't worried about the honor hill. He is worried he will get some sort of pity pass and won't have earned it. Honor Hill is just some ceremony right after FTX. His concern is that they will give him a "pity pass" because it is right at the end.
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1SG Retired
1SG (Join to see)
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He'll pass the APFT and graduate, if he performs the events according to the standard. There will be no pity passes, and nobody will know if he received his crossed rifles in a ceremony, or not.
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
SFC (Join to see)
>1 y
James N there's no such thing as a pass without meeting the standards, and there's definitely no such thing as a pity pass. The Infantry isn't known for its sympathy or it's pity.
When your son meets the standards he will graduate.
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James N
James N
>1 y
SFC (Join to see) - This is what I think he needs to hear. He has always had a huge chip about earning what he gets. He was diagnosed with ADD in 1st grade and insisted on no meds and no accommodations throughout school. His philosophy on the diagnosis was that he would have to work harder and learn to compensate. So I really think he is somehow afraid they will just give him those last couple of pushups. Nice to be able to reassure him that ain't gonna happen and he will have earned whatever he gets.
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MAJ Corporate Buyer
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He needs to pass the APFT in whatever way he can. If he graduates, he's an Infantryman. I know basic training seems like the whole world while you're there but once he's gone it will become a distant memory. No one will care about whether or not he attended some ceremony.
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SGM Erik Marquez
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Taking your post at face value not trying to reading between the lines at all I suppose I would suggest re-cycle gives maximum amount of time to continue physical fitness training would be able to graduate with the full process in his new company end it would seem the Sarah Moni of the last few days is important to him if so no issue he should do it gets what’s important to him
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SGM Erik Marquez
SGM Erik Marquez
>1 y
My apologies for the typo voice to text no way to edit right now
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James N
James N
>1 y
Lol, no problem. I really appreciate you and everyone else taking the time to provide input. My son is asking me for advice and I didn't serve and have no friggin' clue what to ask him or tell him.
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