Do you think the PT test should be made harder?

The 4 mile run and the 12 mile road march, are a long standing 18th Airborne Corps standards, and while I am OK with run, not everyone needs to do a 12 miler... Don't get me wrong, I do believe PT matters and it should be a main effort, and that we need to hold folks to the standard, and focus on physical fitness excellence. But,I could never see masses doing the 4 mile run, or the 12 miler... As a company commander... circa 1991-1993, my company would do runs routinely of 6 miles or more... But, that took a concerted effort.

Many moons ago, when I was with 10th Mountain, the 12 miler was reduced to 6 miles (by 18th Abn Corps) for every who did not walk with with the Infantry, as there were too many injuries resulting from road marching, making many troops non-deployable. As an example... does a helicopter pilot, or truck driver need to be able to go 12 miles in 3 hours on foot? I am a MP, and while we did the 12 miler and 4 miler... MPs also don't really need to be proficient at doing a 12 miler.

Nevertheless, I agree fitness matters, and we need to maintain high standards, and probably find a better test. PT and fitness largely depends on how much emphasis a command places on it.

To your core question CPT (Join to see), I think the APFT is fine, but I also believe it it is time we looked a new options, which we have done more than once since the current APFT was introduced.

I also think we need to implement gender neutral tests that are best on your specific job.

Let's add a $1 monthly bonus for every point above the 180.

Different is the single word I would use.. Some will find it more difficult, some just more challenging. The issue has always been the same since the first time I went to the Army Master Fitness school, to the second time, or later when I assisted in off site visiting MFT courses.. When the question of a "Better APFT" came up the problem was always ... how? How to implement.. What meaningful test exercises could be implemented that addressed the component of physical fitness targeted that could be done at any location world wide at any time of the day or night, with no new equipment or facilities required.. It had to be measureable, with the ability to train the trainer to be cable of consistently observing the same way each time.. So the only variable was the physical input, not the observer, equipment or location( location and environment may make results not comparable to another location , but all participants at that test site would on the same footing.)

Having a harder PT test is not going to encourage those who are out of shape or overweight to do better, CPT (Join to see). These few individuals are mostly not worried about passing (or barely worried about passing) the current PT test, do you honestly think that they would work any harder to pass an even more difficult test? Also, you would put SMs who are NOT quite as fit as you may be into the the position of not being able to pass the PT test. If your goal is to separate a good 5-7% of the active duty force, then your idea of a harder PT test is right on target.

On another subject, would you also disallow SMs over the age of 40 from taking PT tests to a different standard? If so you can also forget most of the 30 year NCOs. (Somehow it seems that 90% of all Officers ALWAYS max their PT tests, no matter how old, or out of shape, they may be.....)

Maybe make it harder to max but as for changing the events, that debate started long ago.

Harder? No. I think the PT test should be made relevant though. The events should have a direct correlation with your day to day activities.

I don't know about making it harder. I think that we would be better to have more uniform grading of the PT test over the army. Also we could do a lot better at holding everyone to the standards we have all known that soldier that somehow always seems to beat the system. If we are going to change the standards of the APFT then I would like to have a one test for all approach. Sadly the problems with the test are the problems of the system and that is what needs to be fixed not the test its self.