Can my unit make me take my PT test, after an earlier PT failure, on short notice under the Covid 19 situation?

SPC Jonathan Thomas — Thu, 28 May 2020 11:55:58 -0400

So I failed my pt test back in February before this covid outbreak started got counclied, but the whole covid 19 picked up and everything got put on hold, now that everything is starting to pick up they are trying to pt test me again 2 of June and they are trying to make me sign a coucling for this week to take a pt test in 4 days. Can they do this? I will get kicked out for failing this second pt test due to a lot of time of not doing anything due to the covid 19 and I think this is unacceptable

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2020 12:04 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 May 2020 12:04:27 -0400

I do not understand. If you failed a PT test, why have you not been training in order to pass it? Ultimately, you as a soldier are responsible for meeting standards.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2020 12:06 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 May 2020 12:06:52 -0400

PT is an individual responsibility. If you were not doing PT on your own, then that’s ultimately on you. What you believe to be unacceptable doesn’t really matter.

On another note, you are supposed to request to take the PT test during this time to get in flagged, but I can totally understand if your unit wants to make you take one. Sounds like they just want to go ahead and start chapter paperwork

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2020 12:15 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 May 2020 12:15:51 -0400

Read the regulations, young Soldier. APFT and ACFT events on a mass scale are suspended. However, units can administer them in ones and twos as long as the proper distance is met between each Soldier....or masks are worn. APFT events require 6 people to make it a valid event. The Graded Soldier, the Grader, NCOIC, OIC, Timer and Back Up Timer. Now, some of those spots can be dual slotted. For example, the NCOIC and OIC can double down as Timers. The regulations state that you are to be given 90 days in between each test for Records in the event of a failed APFT. You can certainly take one prior to the 90 day mark if you so choose to. From February to June is 4 months. If you fail the test, then that is on you as you should have been doing PRT to ensure that you can pass the test. Even if you feel this is unacceptable...it doesn't matter as long as the unit is following all guidelines and regulations.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2020 12:17 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 May 2020 12:17:17 -0400

Yes. You were given 4 months to prepare for a retest. There was a very small window when (some)installation commanders said no testing, but for the most part it was permitted with precautions. At no point in time was anyone except from conducting PT on their own.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made May 28 at 2020 12:46 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Thu, 28 May 2020 12:46:37 -0400

What is unacceptable here PFC, is the fact that you can not act like a soldier. PT is a personal responsibility as will as meeting or exceeding the standards. You failed a PT test- knew it and yet for 90 days took absolutely NO corrective action. Absolutely NO said you had to set around and not find a way to training, hell in the desert we made our own weight equipment and running around the encampment in battle rattle was a heck of a lot harder than the test. You failed the PT test , failed yourself, and failed the Army. Yes, 2nd failure they can/should send you home and then they can replace you with a better trooper, Your screw up is not the Army's fault, but yours.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2020 12:47 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 May 2020 12:47:39 -0400

I don’t understand why you weren’t able to practice running, pushups and pull-ups due to COVID. The Army specifically put out in their guidance that Soldiers will maintain their PT while enforcing social distancing.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2020 1:04 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 May 2020 13:04:17 -0400

Is this a serious post.. you find it 'unacceptable" ... I am not sure what part of this situation you find unacceptable, but there is nothing wrong with your story except that you decided to not do personal PT. There was nothing stopping you from doing push ups, sit ups and running except you. Good luck on your upcoming PT Test!

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2020 1:42 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 May 2020 13:42:20 -0400

I am not sure why someone would fail a PT test in the first place. You failed in February, so you have had plenty of time to work on your weak areas. It is unacceptable that you have apparently not been doing your PT as you should have.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2020 3:25 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 May 2020 15:25:58 -0400

They only have to give you a minimum of 10 days. Get your butt out there and do some hard PT. Resiliency!!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2020 3:27 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 May 2020 15:27:28 -0400

Unit organized PT is simply meant to be a fitness maintainer. Never rely solely on unit PT. Make fitness a personal lifestyle and hit them weights.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made May 28 at 2020 4:04 PM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Thu, 28 May 2020 16:04:52 -0400

PT is on you boss. Especially with you having failed once before you should have been focusing on your fitness and expecting them to be coming back around. Unless you were specifically told that PT tests were postponed indefinitely or told you weren't being retested you should have been expecting this. Unless you have an ongoing medical issue or physical injury I don't think you will get much sympathy out of most of the folks on here.

Response by SGT Justin Brothen made May 28 at 2020 4:50 PM

SGT Justin Brothen — Thu, 28 May 2020 16:50:31 -0400

Really hope one of you NCOs sees this, I am pretty sure they told you to work on your fitness. Should have all been in the counseling you stated you received.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2020 5:36 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 May 2020 17:36:41 -0400

Ok I’ve read the other comments and I’m not going to pile on you troop.

Short end of it. Yes they can make you take this PT test.

Now the hard facts:
Can they start the chapter paperwork on you? You bet.

Is it your fault you weren’t at least doing push ups and sit ups and trying to run occasionally? Yes you know it and I won’t harp on it because you got enough of that already.

My question is this:
How bad did you fail your PT test and what events? We talking like you just missed your sit ups or push ups by a few or are we talking you were well over a minute over your run time?

If it’s the first 2 then some hard core motivation on your part doing push ups and sit ups multiple times a day with rest for a couple days before the event and you might squeak by. If it’s your run and you’ve not been doing anything for cardio and you are way over the time when you were doing pt and failed then you might just have screwed the pooch. My advice would be get a battle buddy and do an APFT for practice and see what you get then you know what to work on. I would also be speaking with my 1st SGT and my commander and explaining to them why you haven’t been doing PT and hope they go lenient on you this one and only time.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2020 6:58 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 28 May 2020 18:58:11 -0400

How were you not able to perform PT in your own time for an hour a day? The only person who has failed you is yourself. Because of the timeframe with COVID-19 is not an excuse to fail a APFT. The APFT should be the easiest PT session you will do.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 29 at 2020 3:37 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 May 2020 03:37:22 -0400

Young Soldier, never rely on your unit to ensure you are fit. Go runningbputside and do some push ups/sit ups on your own time. Make it a goal to never ever fail a PT Test. Get in that mindset and the rest should hopefully take care of itself.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 29 at 2020 4:41 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 May 2020 04:41:52 -0400

Yes they can

Response by 1SG Dennis Hicks made May 29 at 2020 5:51 AM

1SG Dennis Hicks — Fri, 29 May 2020 05:51:51 -0400

As I read your response, you failed the APFT in February, were you flagged for PT failure in Feb? Now your unit is making you meet requirements by giving you another APFT this June. Every individual Soldier is required to meet standards even if a unit is not conducting daily PT. What is unacceptable is for any Soldier to wait until the las minute when given ample time to prepare and think that meeting requirements is unacceptable. .

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 29 at 2020 6:48 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 May 2020 06:48:20 -0400

Yes. The new policy allows CDRs to adopt and implement alternative methods for holding the SMs feet during the sit up event.

Probably going to be a bar or other permanently fixed piece of equipment you can slide your feet under.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 31 at 2020 4:14 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 31 May 2020 04:14:05 -0400

You’ll have a rough life ahead of you with the this attitude