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Responses: 9
SFC Michael Hasbun
8
8
0
Edited 4 y ago
We really need to start focusing elsewehere. It's a non issue.
Thanks to COVID, we've had PT test suspended for around a year. The result? No wars have been lost, no missions dropped, the sky has not fallen. It's impacted operational capabilities not one bit.
Want to make a difference? Focus more on intellect. Stupid Soldiers will destroy a unit long before a chubby one.
I get it though... We need things that are easy to quantify.
All the things that ACTUALLY matter, like intelligence, compassion, proficiency, dedication, honor, integrity, honesty, selflessness, judgement, common sense, etc... are all really difficult to quantify in a meaningful, objective way.
So, we latch on to something that's very straight forward, like PT, because it's easy to train and quantify. It's easy to measure. The alternative is to admit that there is no accurate cookie cutter metric for evaluating personnel, and we can't have that...
Generic "Z x Y= Good Soldier" is much easier than meaningful counseling, mentorship, development, etc..
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2LT Brian L.
2LT Brian L.
4 y
Despite what I'm sure seems like my defense of the ACFT or the APFT there is a need for a more complete or comprehensive Soldier. How to achieve this is best implemented through leaders rather than mandated. PT is not everything but very important especially in combat jobs.
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SSG Brian G.
SSG Brian G.
4 y
SFC Michael Hasbun - No there should always be an evaluation. Everything that the military does there is an evaluation. Weapon qualification, there is a block of instruction, and then testing for competency. Same with any job in the military. It is important.

What needs to happen is that there is a physical standard for male and female. Can you do X in Y minutes? Pass. If you cannot, fail. Do away with the whole more points for more repetition or faster times.
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SPC 35 F
SPC (Join to see)
4 y
I 100% agree with SFC Hasbun. Maybe squad pt a couple days a week and the days you don’t do pt you do some type of training or development at 0630 where you work. It’s easy to get Pt scores up quickly and developing Soilders takes time. Pt is a personal responsibility
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2LT Brian L.
2LT Brian L.
4 y
SPC (Join to see) - You also work in an office... to be able to perform in a combat environment requires peak physical conditioning.. not one bit of this has to undermine Soldier development ... if leadership mentors and develops why does this have to come at a detriment to PT? Soldier development is also a personal responsibility. You can spend your off time or down time at work reading AR's, FM's, or reading and speaking about leadership ideology. 0630 Squad development is PT, flat out. Who's to say that PT cant be Team building or have aspects of leader development?
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MSG Student
5
5
0
"Women in combat arms will not impact readiness."
*Women can't pass gender neutral standard*
*Army makes seperate women standards for fairness*
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CPT Information Operations (Io) Planner
CPT (Join to see)
4 y
"One standard, the Army standard." Unless you're a woman I guess.
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SFC Melvin Brandenburg
5
5
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We need to get past the idea that differences are not to be acknowledged.
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