Should a Soldier with a physical profile that prevents taking an event on the APFT be able to earn the Physical Fitness Badge?

You can't earn more than 60% if an alternate event is done. Look,I used to be an extended scale stud. A few injuries sustained in Afghanistan have taken that from me. I'm not crying about it. I do hate that all I can get is a 260 now. But I deal with it. Too much emphasis has always been placed on the pt gods. I got air assault school early coz I scored a 416 on my apft. I got rewarded for scoring a 395 in another course. I have stacks of those little round badges in a shoe box in my closet. Can't wear em anymore. Breaks my heart (not really). It's more of a reminder of who I used to be and how much I've grown and I see the big picture now. I used to judge people by what they've earned. The badges, awards, medallions. As you can see, I'm no stranger to them. I met a fat guy in 2010 who resembled this stud I trained years before. He blinked a lot and stuttered and looked worse than pvt pile from that movie. I was talking to him when one of my SSG came up and started ridiculing this fat piece of garbage. The soldier didn't defend himself. As I was reading the guy, I told the Ssg to stop. Just then, BDE Csm told that SSG to come hither. I got to talk to the kid as the SSG was getting smoked by the CSM. That SPC had two Purple Hearts. He had shrapnel still lodged in his head and back. Doctors afraid to operate due to sensitive locations, they could paralyze him or make him a veggie. That spc earned his apft badge while I was his grader on an apft. I was tough as nails back then. He'd given his youth his health and damn near his life for this country. And people who were a little more fortunate ridiculed him. He shouldn't have to wear a shirt that explains his sacrifice. He shouldn't have to explain why he's out of shape. Too much emphasis is placed on physical fitness. And the majority of those Pt studs are people who wee a little more fortunate than those of us who had a "bad day" at the office while deployed. Don't change the standards. Pt badge for the heroes that can still perform. But leaders need to quit thinking those round badge studs are the only ones worthy of sending to a school.

I would say no. How can somebody unable to take the APFT receive a badge that is based on the results of the APFT? Perhaps if there was recognition for certain events, then the person would qualify for the specific event.

If somebody is not deployable, they are not eligible for a deployment based award (Overseas Deployment Ribbon, etc.).

I personally wouldn't say the soldiers are "disadvantaged" -- it's just a reflection of their current abilities. Injuries do limit what we can do. Nothing to be ashamed of about that.

SGM Matthew Quick -- what if the Soldier is taking a specially modified version of the APFT, such as biking/walking? This would be a valid APFT score according to regs, so I assume this would suffice for your question as well.

Overall, I don't think Soldiers should be awarded a badge that they are unable to earn IAW regs. If you can't take an APFT -- including a modified APFT -- then you are not disadvantaged by the system. You should not be awarded the badge if you do not earn it.