Posted on Feb 13, 2014
SPC Jeramie Hinsinger
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&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;We have the Army Substance Abuse Program for the drug and alcohol abusers. We have the Army Weight Control Program for the over-weight. I believe there should be a mid-line between the two in which we can stop the Soldiers who are failing only their run event on the APFT and are seen to be heavy smokers.<div><br></div><div>I'm a smoker myself, so this is not crucifixion of smokers in anyway. I just see the Army failing in this area and feel there should be a regulation to help leaders control a problem. If these Soldiers are complaining that they can't breathe instead of their legs hurting during runs. Well, I feel there should be a regulation in place to help. We can tell them not to drink, why can't we tell them not to smoke?</div><div><br></div><div>Would you like to see a regulation in-place? How have you dealt with this situation in your own career? did it work?</div><div><br></div><div>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div><div><br></div><div>Edit follows..</div><div><br></div><div><span style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-size: 12px;">My main point is actually that people showing alcohol problems have ASAP, people showing problems with food have AWCP, people showing problems with anger have behavioral and mental health clinics, people showing a problem with tobacco? Nothing.</span><br></div><div><span style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-size: 12px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-size: 12px;">I say again I AM A SMOKER, this situation also does not involve me as the failure, and I am aware of programs to help them quit, but they are not Army Regulated like the aforementioned problems.</span></div><div><br></div><div>I do like the fact that I'm seeing most people give PT advice instead of spouting regulation and paperwork. Thank you all for responding.&nbsp;</div>
Edited 10 y ago
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1SG Michael Minton
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Excuse my rant, but this is BS! I smoked pack n half since a teenager and 23 years in the military.  Smoking does not make you fail APFT! Never failed one in my career and i know so many other smokers that never failed.  But Non-smokers are narrow minded where it has to be because they smoke! One of my 1SG would smoke prior to taking off on the run. everyone would take off, he would wait and finish his cigerette then go, and still come back in low 13s. Ive had different periods where i would run low 12s and times i would run high 15s.  and it had nothing to do with smoking. there is only one thing smoking does, it takes longer to get in shape (if your out of shape) and it probrably gets you out of shape a little faster if you dont do any PT. which means they may have to work alittle harder to get in shape and cannot take long breaks from maintaining it. people that dont smoke will stay in shape a little longer before dropping down......before you just blame it on smoking, let me tell you things that factor in more then smoking!........First and foremost is being overweight (what, overweight is because of smoking too/), almost every over weight person i see also fail their APFT or at best borderline. next, take a look at the unit PT program. If your program consist of warmup, a few exercises and then run a few miles at a 8-9 min pace (which is failing). then you program is dragging people down to bordline failures. True unit PT is to maintain your fitness, but if your a high scorer, you didnt get that way through unit bad unit programs. I took over a unit that had double digit over weight and APFT failures. changed the program to challenge and incentive based and 6 months later had 100% APFT passing, Zero overweight and the unit APFT AVERAGE went from 220 to 262. All it took was enforcing a good program. not making everyone quit smoking. My only problems where i dropped in time was i got out of shape because of my job didnt allow time for daily PT or when was in units with bad programs. So before all you non-smokers look down your nose at smokers, see if there could be other factors involved. and as for as making rules for smokers or putting them out etc, the military has smoking classes and meds. but you cant make someone do something they dont want to give up that is legal. if they fail APFTs, the system will take care of them. Another point, why does the military look down on run failures, but pushup-pullup-situp failures is not big deal? Why do soldiers have to go out in the rain/snow to smoke because the unit wont make a inside smoking area? but if there is civilians working in the building, then they will make a smoking room? its supposed to be banned in all government buildings, which i disagree with. but it takes a civilian for the military to treat our soldiers right.
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SFC Instructor/Writer
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1SG, hell yeah to all. What I see a lot of is the Army getting softer and more PC everyday instead of focusing on the war-fighting mission. If a soldier wants to smoke, let them. i give a rat's ass so long as that troop understands they have that much harder to work to keep up with or surpass their peers and they better damn sure not fail on mission. Now we waste time and effort telling guys were and when they can & can't smoke or dip because it's bad for their health. Give me a break, we're Grunts at war and you think we're worried about tobacco's health hazards! Point is, it's a stupid discussion yup have as it is now and always been individual responsibility to be physically fit for duty smoke and dip or not. Hold them accountable and see how quickly things improve.
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SFC Instructor/Writer
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End rant
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SFC James Baber
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Edited 10 y ago

CPL,


I think this is a topic that will never get any real conclusion as the support goes both directions for and against. I personally quit about 2 years into my career, but never really noticed much difference in my PFT or regular PT.


I do have a funny story that shoots every study or claim that smoking will prohibit or create lower scores from being a smoker, I had a guy I was stationed with early in my career who was a pack and a 1/2 a day smoker and he had been smoking for about 7-8 years at the time I knew him, here is the odd part, he held the post record for the 2-mile run in the PFT, he ran a low 9:30 for his run, and this was in the day when some guys would run while smoking in PT during the 80s. So it is things like this guy that gives credence to smokers who say it has no effect, I have also known people that were menthol smokers that would smoke 2 cigarettes before the test because it opened their lungs up more before the run.


I wish you luck on your pursuit of the getting a regulation created or even a policy.

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SSG C Ied & Irw Instructor
SSG (Join to see)
10 y
I smoke a pack a day and I almost qualified for the USAREUR Army 10 Miler team.

Smoking isn't where these soldiers need to make their changes, per se, they need to change their run routines.  The problem is we think that taking people on long runs is the way to drop their run time...focus those run failures on interval runs, sprints, and running hills.
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SSG Cannon Crew Member
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congrats to you on your abilities SSG B. just trying to make the team is a great achievement,,, good stuff. Good luck to you if you try it again.
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1SG Michael Minton
1SG Michael Minton
10 y
you are exactly right when you say if you want to improve you cardio, do interval, sprints, fortleg, hills, ability groups, faster pace short runs and weight control. and if your going to take long runs, they should be atleast 5 miles at a 6-7 minute pace instead of 8-9 minutes which is a failing pace.
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Jennifer Lovi
Jennifer Lovi
>1 y
I've smoked a pack a day for 30 yrs before I started to have any issues. I was always the fastest wen racing women and usually too 3 against men. There does seem to be more issues now a days. My dad said he thinks almost his entire platoon smoked back in the day and he believes they were the best of the best
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SFC Jeremy Boyd
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As many of my counterparts here have already stated, this is a matter of personal discipline and choices.  If a Soldier smokes then he or she has made a personal life choice and must accept the physical consequences.  I personally do not smoke, but still have no sympathy for a heavy smoker who fails an APFT run due to limited breathing capacity.  No one forces a Soldier to smoke, so the choice was always their's.  Cut down on the cigarettes and train for PT. 
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1SG Michael Minton
1SG Michael Minton
10 y
i smoke and agree, i have no sympathy for anyone that fails a APFT. they know when its due in advance, they can cut their smoking, they can do more cardio in numerous different types of runs, can lose weight or do more on their own. there is no suprises and everyone knows what happens if you fail. and its not sympothy!
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