Army APFT: Should NCOs have a higher minimum 'standard'?

PT is a small part of being a leader to me. If you have an NCO that scores 200 on the APFT, but knows his job and can lead and train Soldiers and an NCO that scores 330, but can't perform his job and instills no values, purpose and discipline in his subordinates, which do you take? I have no problem with senior leadership ensuring that the NCOs in their charge have and set high personal standards but if we are using an APFT score as a measure for continued service, we are missing the boat. The demands of the Army takes a different toll on each Soldier's body so while they may want to continue outperforming the "young bucks", it may not be possible. The senior leadership I had as mentors focused on what you ACCOMPLISHED and your potential to lead and continue to positively contribute to the Army, not your APFT score. That's what my Command Teams looked at for the Soldiers and what I was told senior promotion boards looked at. NCOs have so many other pressing issues to worry about than a PT score. The standard is the standard. As long as they can achieve, leave them alone.

I see where you're going with it, and part of me likes the idea, but I think the logic actually breaks down. If we make NCO standards higher than lower enlisted, then we should make senior NCO standards even higher than NCOs (can you imagine if they were not?). We should then make senior officer standards even higher than junior officers. If you follow this logic, the Chief of Staff and Sergeant Major of the Army would have the highest PT standards in the force, and I just don't think that makes any sense.

I understand the sentiment though. I don't think the way to do achieve the intent though is to increase minimums, but to promote more on people who reach higher levels of performance in their field (in both PT and other skills). Great topic.

I understand where you are coming from because NCOs ( Officers and SNCOs included) should be leading from the front, however, I disagree. Typically NCOs have been in longer and multiple deployments have taken a toll on their bodies. The standards should be tied to age not rank.

I already am.
The highest standard on the APFT is the one I hold myself to in order to run with the young bucks and lead from the front. The day I can't hang is the day I retire.

It is one of those thoughts that sound good. But, as one ages one's body simply does not always cooperate.

I recall my last PT test in the Reserves. My right leg had already had two of the five surgeries it has endured. I was wearing an elastic support and a brace. I passed, but, barely.

I felt bad about my performance until one of the troops told me he passed because he was inspired by my effort.

Yes, but self imposed as a professional leader desiring to lead the way. If it needs to be in a regulation, the intent and meaning is lost.

I don't believe NCOs specifically should have a different standard. There is enough division in the Army, let's not add to it. If there is a discussion about having ALL leaders (NCOs, WO, Officers) held to a higher standard, then you might get some traction with that discussion. But realistically, do we 'need' another reason to boot sub-par NCOs from the ranks? The new NCOER and the constant AAR Comments from DA-level boards to enumerate the actual APFT score will help to identify those that are not performing to standard. Besides, we should be more focused on the total Soldier concept, not just who has a higher APFT. I am a grandfather to 2, father of 6 and can still hang with over half of my platoon, and some of the ones I beat are young enough to be my kids! But seriously, I need Solders that are physically fit but also technically competent. I have had a SGT working for me that could smoke most people but I couldn't get him to grasp the concepts of his job. It took an intense amount of training to get him to where he needed to be. But the perception was that he was squared away cuz he do do great at PT. We need to move AWAY from that mentality because some MOS require more brain power than physical, hence why I embrace the total Soldier concept.

I feel CSM that every person in the military should be held to one standard, "The ARMY standard".

take a look around your unit. Many, if not most (or all), of the guys who have been in 15-20 years have either knee, back, shoulder problems/injuries or a combination of the three. There is much much more to being a good leader than doing PT. IMHO, waaaaay too much emphasis is put on PT. Seen way too many PT studs that were Soldier duds

I don't believe that NCO's should have a higher APFT standard, but I believe that NCO's should always try to do more than the minimum passing score