I am being told to go to PT by the command on only 4-5 hours of sleep. As a junior enlisted, how do I solve this problem?

Get educated on the Performance Triad and bring it to the Command that way, but make sure you are explaining why you are only getting 4-5 hours of sleep.

It sounds as it is official. You are whining. There is a regulation that address sleep time. However, it is only applicable during a combat operation. If you care to know what it says, if I remember well the Soldier should be allowed four hour of uninterrupted sleep for during a 24 hours period. During sustained operations, the SM may get one day off after so many days of duty. Again, I do not think this helps you. Follow the orders of your leaders without complaining. You can make a request to your first line leaders. But, I am sure they already are fully aware of the situation.

On naval ships, if you stand the 00-04 watch you still have to be present for the 0700 roll call and do morning activities. You just gotta suck it up and get used to it.

Since you are Junior Enlisted, you will need to learn the proper use of Chain of Command. Talk to your section leader, then have them talk with the Platoon SGT. You should be able to talk to both at the same time. Just remember, 1SG is proving a point and it probably will not last long. suck it up and go back to bed after PT, your shift starts at 1600... what else would you be doing after 0630 (after an hour PT)?

Go to PT, there is no real difference in doing PT before or after work. IF this life does not suit you, find another job! Being a soldier is an honorable career and it takes a special person to do it.

Professionally, your main issue is that in order to provide your skills in the most extreme environments under unbelievable conditions you need to train your body to operate at 100% with little or no sleep for as long as it takes. In my eleven years I rarely got 5 hours of sleep. In fact, when I became a civilian it took me a few years to break the cycle of five hours of sleep. My best advice for you is to suck it up and get out there and train your body. The last person you want to make an enemy of is the 1SG. So, go out and prove yourself capable of adapting to these new demands and after a few months of showing the 1SG what your made of put in a written request for either a different shift at the hospital or a different time schedule for PT.

You got 4 to 5 hours of sleep , and you can’t do PT , and you’re a soldier ? I’ll tell you what my my leaders would tell me and what I would tell my soldiers , suck it up and drive on . Now I could see a problem with quality of life if this was an ongoing issue , where this was happening for months at a time or longer but other than that , your 1SG is in his position to make those calls .

Wtf are you talking about?

You have 24 hrs in a day. You know what you do? You do what every human being on earth does who works a night shift: sleep in the day time.

Sucks to suck, but sounds like you dont want to inconvenience your social life. If you go to sleep at 0800 every day, 7 hrs later is 1500.

What is the problem?

This is called 'adulting'. You chose the medical field, this is what the medical field does.

Its also what MP's do, it's what pilots do, SF and Rangers do, it's what a shit load of people do.

It's what grown ass men do.

You have your orders. Follow them. As soon as you can, write a request addressed to your Company Commander and sent up through your chain of command asking for a deviation from the training schedule. You can provide supporting reasons and ask your PSG or equivalent to go to bat for you too. How is your PT score? Can you handle maintaining an adequate level of fitness on your own? If your company has soldiers who do poorly on the p.t. test the leadership team must fix that. They don't want to be in that situation and that's why you are kind of caught in a challenging position. Regardless of MOS, soldier's need to be disciplined and physically fit. Barring that, we don't need them regardless of how brilliant they are. Sounds like you are trying to carry out the commander's orders, so good on ya for that. Your suggestions will carry more weight when you are consistently doing what is expected of you. Just as an aside, I spent a decent portion of my career in the field and getting 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep in a 24 hour period didn't happen too often. So if I could do it I know you can do it.

You can’t handle it then find another career

What i didn't see in the original post was how many days a week PT formation is required.

WOW, back in my basic days we worked till 1-2 AM polishing belt buckles. You know the ones we had to drag over the gravel yard while low crawling cause we didn't do 50 push-ups correctly. Then we were up at 4 to clean the Barracks bay. Oh, then, our DI would deliberately walk thru mud then our just polished bay and demand why the bay was muddy. He did this every day for 12 weeks. This was Ft Campbell Jan 1968. And every swing dick was Nam bound. Except a few enlisted, very few. Ah the good old days. Then AIT at Ft Monmouth NJ was more fun. The chow was so bad we'd empty 2-3 garbage containers of uneaten chow after every meal. Stuff was terrible. Then it was on to Nam. Stop complaining it can always get worse.

DBAP!

I would talk to your your squad leader or PSG first, maybe then they can resolve this issue. Granted, if you get off shift at 2400 hrs it takes some time to get back to where you need to sleep and get actually get to sleep. Now I've been out partying in my younger days only to get back in time to change into PT uniform or maybe sleep for an hour or two but that was on me (and the guys with me). Use your chain of command before you try the open door policy most commanders and 1SG's have. Talk to your chain in person, not email, unless there's a special reason you want it documented in writing. I would avoid email at first.

You can do what we all have done and just go, ask to switch shifts, take a nap after PT or comb your command instructions for some kind of relief but do remember that deployments mean a lot longer hours where I remember only being allowed 6 hours off shift a day.

Where's my popcorn? LMFAO

Yeah man, make a schedule. You'll be igght.

we ran on after all nighters smelling of kimche and soju all the way home

Not sure if this has been suggested, but could you get together with the others on your shift and see if there is a (third) time that works better for that shift, then bring it to the First Sergeant? If not, the schedule suggested where you go to sleep after PT could work, I’ve had to do something similar in the past. It’s not ideal, but better than nothing. For all of you telling the person to just “suck it up,” this is why we have a retention problem. If you are unwilling to make minor adjustments to schedules to ensure the safety of your people and those they take care of, then don’t complaining about manning shortages when people leave after their initial commitment.

There are no regulations in that regard. In my day I got along with a lot less sleep

Yall should be having formation around 0900, jus those that got off at midnight, anytime we worked past 9pm we didnt have to go to first formation

GO THROUGH YOUR CHAIN TO DO THIS...Suggest that your section have PT Formation at 1300 and that they shift start times of shifts to account for PT and Meals.
IF this does not work, Request a transfer to a Line Infantry Battalion as a Medic and wait till you are a Senior Leader and remember what kind of people you had to deal with. Remember every Soldier is you teacher in that you learn what to do or what not to do from them.

Unfortunately, Leaders who only work Mon-Fri forget about shift workers who keep their command running. I experienced the same thing. Our Commanding Officer cared so little about shift workers they forced people to go to the weekly Wednesday morning Mandatory Command PT When concerns were raised, the only thing they said is that it is only 1 day a week. When it was pointed out that we had some people who were working over 60 hours a week and expected to go to pt after working an overnight 12 hour shift compared to the day workers working less than 35 hours a week, it was ignored. I was one of those shift workers. I lived on a base 15 miles away along with several other shift workers and we said we would go to the gym there and video our workouts which would save us 3 hours on our days off but that too was ignored. It got so bad that we had a pregnant shift worker fall asleep and rear end a car while driving home after working a shift and then going to Wednesday mando pt. Even that didn't wake them up.
My only advise is to try and talk to your command enlisted advisors and document everything with facts. If the command doesn't come to a responsible conclusion then take your documentation outside the command. I hope it doesn't come to that because it is usually bad for everybody. I only wish I documented what happened at our command more.

you will do pt as part of your job in the military. there was the time I got off arm guard duty as I walk in the door pt Alanzo all I sad yes cast or yes sit. or unless you been told other way from the top

First in for most you go to PT. The world is not fair. In the army doesn't claim to be fair. Afterwords, I repeat afterwards, You go to your first sergeant, And explain the problem. You respectfully put forth your opinion. And I hope he respectfully listens to you. After he is going send, You follow the rules.

I work in the hospital too. This is very normal. Just take a nap in the afternoon. Most likely after a while they will change PT only mandatery if you failed PT test.

Seabee Veteran here. At our morning muster, the whole Battalion was there, all 623 of us, even our MCPOC (E9). I don't know what the medical did to cover their posts during this time but everyone except the CO and XO was there and taking part...

There times I be clubbing into the we hours and still make PT, sometimes still lite. Show up to PT do the PT, and show that badass. Command will see this and make adjustment for the hours you are on duty.

I was enlisted and officer, I agree with the person who said you have time management problems. On the days you know you have PT you need to sleep before you go to work if 4-5 hours after a shift don't work for you.

THERE ARE NO REGULATIONS STATING you need to sleep before PT.

Agree with when you are deployed you will need get adjusted to getting sleep when you can.

Good luck to you. Thank you for your service and sleep before work.

Take it up the CoC. Explain your current working hours and ask if it is possible to PT at 12 noon.

You’re a soldier 24 seven you do as you’re told. What did you expect from the military? Sounds like you want to be coddled. People like you want to change the military for your own benefit. That’s bullshit! I served in the infantry in the army and I did as I was told. Come on on For you need to grow a pair.

During the first gulf war during the ground offensive we were lucky to get 2 hours of sleep that was including the medics in the track within our mech infantry company. No one said the military was easy and as other have said we have to sacrifice somethings know when to get to sleep when you get off work and save your free time for when you have days off.

Quit whinnying, your in the Army

I see this is still going. The number of people who topped out at E4 offering career advice is rather amusing *chuckles in senior NCO*

You suggest to the lead SNCO or NCO on your shift, that your shift have its own PT session at 1430 1500 and that he or she work that out with the 1SG.

Just out of curiosity... How weak is the officer and SNCO leadership? I cannot fathom a officer, SNCO, or NCO believing a unit formation is "optional." I'm guessing your officers don't show up for unit PT. Someone needs to hand them their ass.

You're kidding, right? This is a joke post? Life is about being tired but saddling up and doing what needs to be done anyway. Even as a civilian, you'll run into days where you couldn't get to sleep the night before (for a year if you have a kid) you still have to drag your ass out of bed and get to it anyway.

You're in the military, learning to function on little to no sleep is part of the job description. It's not always smart (I remember working on aircraft with little to no sleep) but sometimes it's just gotta be done.

CPT Giacomo M.
Are you fucking kidding me? It isn't right? You are a whining pussey. Get you shit together and grow a pair.

Go to PT and quit whining!
I never sleep more than 6 hours a night. I get up and go to work for 10 hours then home for 3 or 4 hours more work around the house the give the wife a pickle tickle and go to bed.

I don't want to sound unsympathetic but I served 16 years -- 13 of which as a shift worker. Sometimes working 8 hour shifts -- others working 12 hours, and in the field often going for more than 24 hours without sleep.
Doing PT is not a problem to be solved. It is part of your job... your duty. If you think you have it rough just talk to a deployed sailor at sea who never gets more than a solid 3 1/2 hours in his rack at a shot.
How do you solve this problem? You catch a few extra winks when you can. You get up, show up for duty (and PT) and take whatever time your command gives you to catch your rest.
But the complaint, "I only slept 4 hours..." will not hold any water.
I have felt your pain myself and can tell you without fear of contradiction that this is one of the suckier elements of the army. But it is also universal. We all have had periods (even extended periods) of time when nothing was convenient.
I have one constructive comment for you though: if you are part of a significant number of people who all are working the same shift as you, you might be able to convince your 1SG to let you all do PT together at a more appropriate time. I don't see him letting you do it on your own if your CO wants everyone in organised PT.

Prior to even being in the military, I got 2-4 hours of sleep a night before starting a new day and going on with work and then more going out. In your 20-30's you should be able to effectively work on 4-5 hours of sleep. After I got in, in my 30's and on a ship, I could be up for easily 18-22 hour days depending on when watches fell during the workday. If you are having such a hard time, you really might want to look into getting into another line of work. Sorry no sympathy here, the military is not what you should have chosen if sleep was a priority.

Dang - stop whining and hit the rack again after PT! This isn't summer camp or the Girl Scouts, this is the Army! Don't like it, don't re-enlist, but remember you signed a contract and swore an oath!!!

as a retired member of the armed services I to remember complaining about PT , glad to see somethings have not changed. LMAO.
After #) plus years of military service, and as a retired Coast Guard Chief,
MY best advice is to just suck it up butter cup.
Complaining only gets you a bad Reputation.
but and it a big but if you are going to push this because you believe in safe spaces, and every one gets a Trophy, hugs and time outs because they are stressed .

The best Advice i can give you is to come up with a few possible solution that doesnt make you sound like your trying to get out of PT!
the reason you do PT in the AM is to avoid the heat of the day and to wake you up, along with a few other reasons , maybe Suggest the 1600 PT Formation would be a better time for your Company. where you are more rested, but wait ....that is impossible, because you will be at work. so you really have no option unless you can convince your 1SG to allow your company to work out at say 1400 in the extreme heat of the day , this will give your company time to rest , work out there PT schedule , take a shower and get to work .

never go to your Supervisor without a few different solutions to your Problems, make sure your company on board with the Suggestions your taking to your 1ST Sergeant, he may toss them out the window or in the trash, or he may Consider them .

Most Importantly he will know you just did not come to him complaning about the problem , you offered some Suggestions , and hopefully a solution to the situation, so every one is happy.
the command is ensuring the company fitness, and you got your rest.

just remember If you stay in the serviceLong enough One day you will be the senior enlisted personal, you do not want a bunch of cry babys in your company, you want men who get the job done, who come up with SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS , you want to be pleasantly Surprised By the OUTSTANDING RESULTS OF THERE PERFORMANCE AND DUTYS. you want to know your Company can be Trusted to handle anything they are tasked with, they will PLEASANTLY SURPRISE YOU WITH THE RESULTS !

Time management! Stay up after your shift and go to pt at 0530. After pt get breakfast and go to bed. Sleep 7-1500. 8 hrs sleep, problem solved.

I worked all different kinds of shifts. I don’t know anyone who goes right home and falls asleep after getting off at midnight. No one.

Stay up, go to PT, go back to wherever, sleep. Get up at 1400-1500 and prepare for shift.

That being said, if you have an entire section that works this particular shift, I would think that the section NCOIC would already have a plan in place to conduct PT. If anything, that is the individual you should be working up your chain to speak to.

I suppose that you volunteered for this? In 1967 We Stood 12 hour 1800-0600 watches in the Gun mount and had three unreps in one day. So every three days one was 36 hours...

I think you may have your priorities mixed up. Even though I was "only" ARNG for 8 years, I did not drink, smoke or "club" during the entirety of my contract.

Gee a new Army. Stay sloppy and Blame your NCO. The rest of your lazy friends will support you. Makes you sick seeing this on important day like June 6.

When I was in I was told I will only be promised 4 hours of sleep per 24 hours. I don’t want to be or sound like an ass. But we fright like we train and we train like we fight. In combat you can’t have a rest period because of lack of sleep. It sucks somedays. I would say embrace the suck.

Honestly, this seems like a time management problem. You work from 1600-0000. Are you not sleeping before that, say 0700 to 1500? You'd get a solid 8 hours which many folks do not get and still have time between work and PT to do whatever. You could also split the sleep time if you like to nap before PT. I do not see an issue here. Many folks still have to go to PT after 24-hour staff duty; which I could understand fighting against.

While the previous are all true, you might want your platoon sergeant to ask if you could talk to your 1SG to consider his appointing a PSG (yours) a PT session for off set platoons. Most 1SGs will understand you can not physically be in two places at once. As for being at am PT, get used to it.