Do the chain of command have the authority to make a soldier take an APFT every month if their score is not 250 and above?

Active Army and AGR Soldiers are required to take 2 RECORD APFTs per year. There is a minimum requirement for 4 months in between them. Reserve Soldiers are required to take only one, but most commanders have a requirement for them to do it twice. Diagnostic APFTs are a commander's tool to gauge a unit's fitness. They can be administered as many times as they feel the need to.

Put it on the training calendar or make it part of a unit SOP for physical fitness improvement program and you bet.

Wake up each morning and think...today? ya why not.. Sure that too.. though the first is a much more professional and organized way to see results.
The APFT as a standalone event is a terribly physical training event.....so doing that event as the days physical training is a waste of time.

Using a Diag APFT monthly as a measure of general fitness to determine if the SM should continue with remedial PT would be best done in a positive light ... I would (did) make it optional monthly .. the program had a Diag set for 90 days after entering the remedial PT program... If a SM wanted to opt out of the remedial program, they could request a APFT.

Correctly resourcing an APFT monthly is a huge waste of time unless there is a valid need.. Like say you are running an HHBN at teh DIV or CORPS level, and in order to cycle through all that leadership and supporters with a record APFT annually, you may need to due one each week for 3 months, or one a month for 6 months.

In theory the HHBN company commander is in charge and has the authority to stop all daily business and order a Company APFT . The reality is, life at the DIV or CORPS level does not stop for anything... Taskings, info requirements, reports due, investigations ordered from higher all still come pouring in every hour, of every day. And that takes the primary staff, the department chiefs,. the other leaders, and all of the supporting staff to some degree.

Technically, the commander can have as many diagnostic APFTs as he/she deems appropriate.

I will answer this with a statement. My BN CDRs command is all Soldiers scoring less than 70% in each event will take a diagnostic every month until they reach 70%.

Command can make a soldier take a diagnostic PT test as many times as they want.

That is why it is termed...Chain of Command.

They can do a diagnostic APFT pretty much whenever they want. As often as they want.

Unless the organization is taking personnel time from these troops I do not understand the issue. Fitness is the foundation for a the stamina required in a combat environment. Not sure that would be my approach but it sounds effective. What about units that do a monthly 25 mile ruck, or a weekly ten miler and on!

Nothing saying they can't, however so long as you pass the records they can't hold a failed diagnostic against you in terms of separations process or admin flags. However, they do have the authority to set unit specific PT standards and quite a bit of pain and suffering can be induced over it. You are bound by UCMJ and refusal of a lawful order, like taking an APFT, would be grounds for an article 15 action at a minimum which could include an admin reduction in rank.

Easy answer would be just to get a 250 to make your life easier, reflect better on your NCOER, and benefit your career overall. Getting a 250 isn't all that hard, and being that soldiers start to bottleneck in the E-5-E-6 promotion time frame because slots have to open it'll help ensure you are promoted on time.

Edit: However, if they do try something squirrely like slapping an admin flag on your despite you meeting height and weight standards and having a passing record APFT, that is a breach of regulations and you'd have a leg to stand on to fight that.

If they say so....the reg requires it twice a year. Just remember..... You can add to a reg but cant take away. Personally i dont think its a good idea but hey....who am I?