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?

SPC(P) Davis - I may feel your pain but I have no sympathy for you. Callous? Pretty sure that I am with my comment. Your brothers and sisters in arms are the tip of the proverbial spear and if lucky exist on 8 hours of sleep spread out over 3 days. Your comment indicates you are assigned to a hospital. Seek out any Medic at your unit who has served in an active combat zone - ask them to tell you about a typical day while serving with a combat unit.

I worked with an Air Force reserve nurse who deployed several times to a hospital in Baghdad, Iraq whose mission was trying to save the lives of Soldiers, Airman, Marines, and Sailors who were critically injured by snipers, suicide bombers, or roadside IEDs. She didn't want to talk about it at work but she did (still does) have a strong support group. I know a former Army Medic sho suffered from PTSD - why you ask? Squirrel (his nickname) was hung up on "I couldn't save them all." I don't imagine he got a lot of sleep on active duty and know without "chemical" help he spent many a sleepless night - even in rehab.

I won't insult you with some of the comments that could come your way, have come your way, or not; but I grew up in the military starting as an immature 18 year old in 1970 and used to listen to the more "senior" enlisted (when they were in a sharing mood) say it all works out in twenty years. It does.

On a side note, but related to PT: I'm 70-1/2 years old and at the direction of my Primary Care Doctor, my Cardiologist, and the Cardio-Thoracic Surgeon I start PT 2 days a week, for 2 hours a day, for 12 weeks. At least I have the luxury of picking what time of day I get to start. I opted for the afternoon session. Is it mandatory. No but it is voluntary; but if I want to live beyond 70-1/2 years old I need to do it. On the 1st of December last year (It seems like it just happened - wait it did!) I had a Triple Bypass. After 30 years of dealing with cardiac issues I finally had a team of doctors who all agreed that the bypass surgery was a life saver for me.

So SPC(P) Davis when the "whistle" blows for PT fall in sharply and due the best you can - you could end up in a combat zone where sleep comes in 10 - 15 minutes pauses in between casualties. I don't know what your MOS is but you're assigned to a hospital so I suspect its a medical field related job - you may not be a medic working in a squad, platoon, or company but you won't be far from the action; and you will probably reflect on those days when a few hours of your sleep were interrupted by PT.

Adjust and overcome you voluntarily accepted to join the the finest and BEST military in the world you HAVE to adjust and overcome any obstacle it’s mine over matter

Wow! Only 5 showed up to what I can only assume is a Co. C.O. ordered event. I think maybe there are greater problems within this unit.

Quit being a pushy or get out of the military. Suck it up and drive on soldier

Sounds like you're whining. I have come in to do PT on 1/2 hour's sleep, and it didn't have any adverse effects. And you're on the E-5 list? You should know better. Here's an idea - run the issue past your NCO support channel and see what they say. Use the Chain of Command. It's been known to work

You said it yourself, you're "junior" enlisted. You go to PT and get it done. Not sure why this is even a question. You want out of it? Show your first shirt you're a PT stud. Max out E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G and he'll find someone else to focus on. Until you can do that, you need to understand you're at the bottom of the food chain and anything you do to stir the pot is going to make things harder on you.

Is this daily? or a few times a week? I'd say suck it up, PT and keep yourself fit.

You don't solve this. You get off your butt and get busy. As our DS told us, in 1969, will you be complaining about being tired as you are being shot at? I worked out with stress fractures in both feet. Of course, I'm paying for that now, but we had only a couple of ways to get out of PT and neither was much of a choice.
You enlisted and these men are there to train you and maybe save your life later. I hated them at the time but I learned I could handle much more than I thought.

Suck it up buttercup!

My Co had a perfect response to a 2nd Lt. that complained his men weren't getting enough sleep. Understand we were in a active combat area, all he said was "The Army says a solider only needs 2 hours sleep a day, be happy with that". My Co was a West Pointer and highly respected by all of us that served under him. Not getting sleep is good training for after the service, whether is working 36 hours straight on double time or a party weekend.

I would go ask hospital leadership. What did you learn about self care right here at Ft Sam? If you're not medical, yeah, get your butt to formation. If you are, talk to your team leader. Then go up the line.

Maybe shower and hit the rack after PT.

Man up soldier. Quit whining about and just do it.

Dang I would so hate to be in todays army where newbies pull stress cards and people whine about not getting enough sleep and being overworked. Back in the ‘80’s to early 2000 we had each others backs, we stood up together, and we did what we were told to do. Period.

Quit fkin crying and do what the fk your told

You'd never make it as a SEAL!

I don’t know why I’m just getting an email about this 3 years after it was posted, but I do have an opinion about this.

It’s BS, and so are a lot of these comments. “Going to clubs and showing up to PT.”
“You can sleep after PT.”

Those are all BS, old school answers. And quite honestly, those answers have no place these days. Congratulations. Some of these commenters had shitty lives in their careers and expect everyone else to also have a shitty life.

The correct answer is that people’s leadership need to take into account each of their soldiers’ schedules and plan/accommodate accordingly.

If someone works 1600-0000, they should be allowed to do PT on their own at whatever time they, individually, feel necessary. Whether it’s at 0030, 0600, 1400, whatever. If they check in through text/call (in place of a formal formation), I don’t see an issue.

Says "I don't want to whine" starts whining. :)

On submarine duty, there were qualifications, watch duty, training, more qualifications, field day, more trainng, more quals...pulled a 54 hr straight once on ten pots of coffee and I hit my goal being a hot runner on quals and supported the watch roatation, so, if you are going to whine about a little PT this ain't the gig for you in life...go manage a Wendy's.

Great question! I have a dear friend that doesn't say he was a veteran because he was in Korea his SSG didn't like him so for a year. Made him work as mechanic and then do 8 hours as mail man Korean mail. Wasn't dishonorable but wasn't honorable would love to fix, Great guy!

Shut up and obay your orders.
End of the story.

Half-facetiously: you hadn't considered complaining about a bone spur?