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?

Well, Specialist, I've seen this thread in my feed off and on over the past 2 years and am curious what happened. Obviously neither the Commander nor 1SG are no longer "new". I'm certainly not offering any "advice" as I never had command over anyone working in a hospital, my troops were all line company tankers or artillery and this circumstance never happened to them. Heck, over the past 2 years maybe you're not even in the same job or unit.

The 1SG noticed only 5 people showed up? How big or small is this company?

Get sleep when you can. Having been an army nurse myself (though never a medic or LPN 91Charlie) I know the meddac enlisted folks get tasked with all kinds of additional duties. Sleep discipline is vital. Force yourself to carve out time and dial way back on coffee and other caffeinated beverages. I would still show up for PT and then either go to sick call or just inform your NCOIC of your fatigue from your 4 to midnight shift. They should have you doing afternoon PT so that you are done and showering up at 1530 in time for your shift. Ordinarily hospitals work folks from 7am to 1500, then 1500 to 2300. But in my case 0700 to 1900 or 1900 to 0700 was the norm. The hospital CSM said PT was an individual responsibility. In general you could ordinarily pair up with a buddy for a run at end of shift. I went to indoor pool at the Brought Gym mainpost Ft Sam.

What a whiny, sniveling snowflake. Having worked both rotating 8-hr days/swings/mids and rotating 12hr shifts while in the service, I know it can be done - but rarely in conjunction with pub-crawling.

It's the Army, Mr. Brown. And you have neither a counselor for hurt feelings nor rights.

Maybe you should consider another career.

Seriously? LOL Sorry but I can't help but laugh. You get 4-5 hours of sleep?? Really?? LOL Good thing you did not join the US Navy and serve on a destroyer at sea or try to move to another field where you actually saw combat in the field, because you would not make it.

You chose to serve. And the clock and the schedule do not revolve around your beauty sleep. They revolve around the US Military and the command that runs it. And PT is a very well known standard in the military to insure all personnel are in shape enough to fight at a moments notice if called.

Sleep is something you can do all you want as a civilian or when you die. There is no such thing as sleep in the US Military. There are only moments of resting your eyes before the next duty calls.

Go to PT?

Boo-dee-hoo. In an actual deployment the bad guys don't punch a time clock and don't think you should, either. Look at the situation as a training opportunity. Then make it a second training opportunity by calmly explaining to the CO the situation and offer an alternative such as a PT appointment for noon. The CO just wants the numbers to get him a promotion and isn't that worried about what time the numbers get added up.

The answer is simple Spc. You follow the order. You aren't special, your work shift is just that, so my suggestion be in formation 10min prior. As a 1Sgt he can do that an you have to follow the order. In short nothing you can do will change that except be in formation.

The problem here isn't that a Soldier is being asked to do PT one day with minimal sleep. The problem is that the Soldier is being consistently asked to do PT with minimal sleep. Splitting up sleep shifts negates many of the values of a night of rest, and could cause the Soldier to make medical mistakes.

To CLAB about it isn’t going to help you. Perhaps you should develop a possible solution to the problem and present it to the 1SG (properly utilizing your support channel) for approval. It should be your plan for your physical training coupled with a risk assessment, or a suggested time that is conducive to those with your schedule. Having said that, your 1SG isn’t being mean, he’s ensuring the physical combat readiness of his soft skilled Soldiers. Perhaps you should suck it up and thank him.

As I see it you have 2 options. 1 - Attend the 0530 formation and catch your sleep when you can. 2 - Ask if another formation can be held. Since the shift is 16 - 0000 other soldiers must also be affected. Remember, this is the Army.

Have you tried not being so much of a pussy?

Back in the day we would drink all weekend and roll out for Monday Morning PT in our Banana Suit PT uniforms and and be sent back in the B's in Germany to get our MOPP Gear for MOPP 4 PT. This was late 80's Germany, so we prepped for war constantly. if you couldn't go from the club to MOPP 4 and run you were gonna be Dead if the balloon went up. The Soviet Liaison Missions were following our convoys, the girls at the clubs either wanted an ID card and a ring, or Intel on your unit.
4 hrs sleep downrange used to be a dream.

Question: How is working in a hospital, etc. different from getting 2-4 hours sleep in the rain and mud, then handling weapons and explosives? Just a thought.

I hear McDonald's is hiring.

Suck it up, buttercup

Honestly I say suck it up and be there with your best attitude. That is what gets you noticed and the best attitude brings huge rewards (special assignments and duties). It won't last forever and I'm betting as a junior enlisted you are pretty young, so you can handle it (didn't we used to party all night and work the next day?) LOL, so you will get through this.

Really, If you can't handle that, then you really have to think, am I really cut out for this. Maybe it's time to find a new career. I remember having to work late, getting less than 4 hrs sleep and having to do PT at 0530 and going back to work and doing it all over again. Army life is meant to be tough because lives are at stake. My advice, manage your life better and come to know what's important.