New Army PT test: 84% women fail

[Cletus]

I don't know enough about it but I've watched enough war movies to remember circumstances where a clerk typist was handed a rifle and told 'you're in the infantry now, soldier'

At that point, what we have is a DIP scenario... Die In Place.

[Lummy]

Or a RFYL! (Run For Your Lives!) scenario.

[Tahuyaman]

I don't know enough about it but I've watched enough war movies to remember circumstances where a clerk typist was handed a rifle and told 'you're in the infantry now, soldier'

I don't see that happening in the modern army.

[Tahuyaman]

Do you believe there should be a separate scoring chart for females?

Yes. I also believe women should be restricted from some combat arms MOS's.

[Tahuyaman]

I think PT tests should be MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) specific, geared toward those tasks a soldier needs to be able to accomplish to perform his duties. There would of course be some commonality and overlap, but a clerk typist does not have the same physical demands as an Infantryman. A wheeled vehicle mechanic does not have the same physical demands as a cannon $#@!er. A Blackhawk pilot does not have the same physical demands as a combat medic.

I agree.



Even within infantry MOS's physical requirements are different. An 11B has different physical demands as an 11M.


When I first entered the army, we had a five event PT test. It geared toward agility, endurance and strength. It was actually kind of fun to take. The draw back was that it took a long time to do and you needed equipment and a specific course to run with a set of obstacles to maneuver around.


When we went to the three event APFT I thought it was just dumb. However, you did not need any equipment or specific courses set up with obstacles.

[Peter1469]

Do you believe there should be a separate scoring chart for females?

Without lower standards for women, the Army will lose most of its females inside 1-2 years. Or the single standard will be lowered. It will be interesting to watch.

Perhaps the army will consider this new standard for combat arms jobs and keep the old standard for the REMFs. That will allow women to serve outside of combat arms positions- or at least the vast majority.

[Peter1469]

The army has the old PT test that has been used for decades (with some revisions). Soldiers get kicked out all the time for not being able to pass it.

You make a very good point....and a very true point.

...but the Army has to establish some kind of minimum PT requirement. A bottom line, so to speak, of physical prowess.

...and this I think is the topic we are discussing....where is that bottom line?

Do you draw it at the MOS level? Do you draw it at the grunt level? Do you draw it at an average?

All I can say is the minimums they set for me are still reaping benefits even now at 64 years old.

Of course, I am still an opinionated dick, but there were no standards for that characteristic at the time.

[Tahuyaman]

Two minutes of push-ups, sit-ups and a two mile run wasn't a great indicator of physical fitness.

[Peter1469]

Two minutes of push-ups, sit-ups and a two mile run wasn't a great indicator of physical fitness.

Maxing the test out was a pretty good indicator. In the 82nd if we could not get at least a 275 soldiers would be transferred out to the 18th ABN Corps. I have heard the Ranger Regiment has a higher standard. (I also don't believe this new test will be a problem for anyone in the Ranger Regiment.)

[Tahuyaman]

Maxing the test out was a pretty good indicator. In the 82nd if we could not get at least a 275 soldiers would be transferred out to the 18th ABN Corps. I have heard the Ranger Regiment has a higher standard. (I also don't believe this new test will be a problem for anyone in the Ranger Regiment.)

The three event test certainly wasn't an indicator of how fit you were to fight. I knew guys who couldn't bench press 120 lbs or hump a 100 lb ruck more than a couple of clicks, but they could max a PT test almost effortlessly.