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?

LOL. That was a daily occurrence for me during BNCOC and ANCOC back in the 90's.

Regulation cant save you on this one. Ultimately I see three possible COAs

1. Do the PT at 0530 cause it's an Army thing we do.

2. Talk to your shift NCOIC and see if he/she can get an approved alt time for entire swing shift.

3. Get a 300 on next APFT and a 540 or higher on ACFT and request to do your own thing because it works.

Outside those options not much else you can do. PT isnt an option is part of being a Soldier. The have 4 hours sleep is a BS excuse. You work 8 hours in 24 hour day that's 16 hours to get 8 hours of sleep. Which is a lot of sleep for any soldier. Most soldiers in Army do PT from 0630 to 0800 so they are at work at 0600. They get off between 1700 and 1800 on avg day. These troops are at the unit for 11 to 12 hours a day. Seniors that day starts around 0500 and ends around 1900-2100 on avg. If this situation you are in is that bothersome I would consider your career choices. My guess is that this is your first duty station. Medcom is a very different place than anything else in Army.

If you were in a Charlie med you would do PT as early as 0400 so you could be at clinic by 0545 for sick call and work till 1800. Hell even Med PLTs work more than you. Just saying you are better to enjoy the inconvenience and make yourself better so when u do actually go do 68W job you will be stronger, faster and ready for the challenges it presents. Noone wants a fat, slow, lazy medic!

This is part of being a soldier. You should be able to attend PT after 4 to 5 hours of sleep and since your work shift is from 1600 - 0000, then take a shower and go back to sleep if you need. It's an order and you need to keep fit, so don't question your 1SG!

Welcome to the Army

You may want to check your attitude. When you have a job, you're productivity, mission, and goal should be to be the best you can be and inspire others to do the same. This work ethic (in the military or civilian) is what makes possible “the American Dream”.
If you follow the prescribed above, it will lead to promotion and leadership skills. Which will allow you to share why you’re command has the ideas of standards that you now question.
I made E-7 with nine years of service, using the methods above.
I wish for you to have good fortune As well.

Seriously your asking this? Your authorized 4 hours of sleep so uh if i was your platoon Sgt you would get 4 hours of sleep just for whining suck it up do your job

SPC Davis,
As a current healthcare worker i can understand your dilemma. I sympathize with your situation however you enlisted in the Army. This came with responsibilities and one of those being PT. I currently work the night shift at my hospital floating between the ER and ICU. We do 12 hour shifts and as you well know a shift in the hospital can be either very chill or very hectic. My shifts begin either at 2100 or 1900 on my duty days and run for 12 hours straight. I usually do PT either when i wake up or when i get off shift before i go to bed. You as a soldier need to have the self discipline of being at the designated PT formation on time unless physically unable to do so IE, sick and on quarters, busted limb, etc. I usually only get anywhere from 4-6 hours of sleep a night, This is also in combination with preforming my duties as a BN staff officer and nursing school. Unless its my off day then i try to get a combined total of 8 hours. I agree with some of the other posters you have several opportunities to get the required rest your body needs although it may not be in one sitting. You get off shift at 0000, you have about 5 and half hours available to you before PT at 0530. You know from backwards planning you need to be at PT 10 - 15 min prior for accountability. From experience it takes me anywhere from 30 min to an hour to fall asleep once im in bed. This should give you a short nap of at least 3 hours. Yes it sucks and yes your tired but you are still required to do your job and fulfill your commitment. Once PT ends say around 0700 you can sleep from at least 0800 - 1400. This is a solid 6 hours of sleep. You are not going to get 8 hours in one setting it wont happen unless its your off day. Here is where i will tell you to suck it up, Sleep where you can when you can. You can get anywhere from a combined 4-8 hours a day of sleep if you manage your time wisely and plan for it. If you still feel you are not able to fulfill your duties, and get some rest ask for planning assistance from your squad mates and also your platoon SGT. I started off my career in your shoes, i remember what it was like. Hopefully this helps. Dont be afraid to reach back out if you need more advice.

Sorry I am old Army. Our workday was 0530 to 1900. PT is a requirement

Hell, I can remember drinking until 4 or 5, then getting up for first call at 0600 and PT at 0630. Might need to toughen up a bit.

Just do it. The best policy for a soldier is to just do what you're told. Unless, in an unlikely case that your 1SG orders you to do something unlawful. You I'll get promoted, and this will help you grow as an NCO.

If you don’t want to go to PT report to formation and request to speak to someone in your chain of command afterwards. Follow your last order.

That being said you are in the military and being fit and ready to fight is what American’s tax dollars pay for. I am pretty sure America’s enemies are not complaining about going to make car bombs on 4 hours of sleep. What you really have to ask yourself is this. If getting to formation on 4 hours of sleep would make the difference between saving and losing the life of someone you loved would you do it? Then I think your answer is clear. Get off your 2-pack and execute that order Solider. America’s depending on you.

As a recently retired SNCO, I feel your pain. The typical new 1st Sergeant will usually go out of their way to impress the CC to look good, which means being a hard-arse about PT.
That aside, I’ll address others responses first. This Junior Enlisted member didn’t say he was CHOOSING his work hours as YOU chose to drink/party till PT time. Your correlation is completely bogus and also of your choosing. Had you been under my supervision, I’d have brought you up under an Article 15 for being in formation intoxicated! Evidently this young soldier has more common sense to address the issue in a responsible manner.
Now, back to the topic. I would speak to your first-line Supervisor following the Chain-of-Command protocols. You probably won’t get much there because Junior NCOs aren’t much to make waves. If there is a suggestion box or anonymous forum to direct the general concern to the CC, try that. Otherwise, you could ask your Supervisor to allow you the time for the 1600 formation. Typically, military personnel are allowed to leave work early for PT formations. These are ideas you can try. Don’t be shocked if you get no where...it’s the sad misfortune that military members are not looked at as human beings but machines that are pushed to break. Stay positive, stay strong, remember the negative so you can be an effective leader yourself once you achieve higher ranks if you choose to.
As for deployments, those are a whole different beast and everyone suffers 12-hour+ shifts with no down-days. It’s the warriors way.

Seriously? Soldier, for what business are you training? Your statement "my section is the only one in the hospital" would suggest you could be deployed as a medic. Do you think the enemy cares one whit that you are working on little or no sleep? Are you going to raise your "It's not fair" card like a white flag when your buddies are bleeding out in the kill zone - or are you going to face the music you signed up to dance to?
You need to rapidly re-evaluate who you are - REALLY. Look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you are in the right place, because right now I would say NO!
Might I also suggest you start thinking from the perspective of at least two paygrades above where you are right now. If the 1SGT wants you at PT, get your butt over there and PT.
If you are looking for fairness in this life, you are going to be sorely disappointed. And since you volunteered for the Army, doubly so.
The life of an Armed Forces Services Member is not an easy one. You will be called on to make sacrifices in peace time that will better prepare you to survive in battle. Remember the old mantra "the more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war". Go to PT, sweat, and get into a physical and mental place where you can save your brothers and sisters when they need you most - or go home.

Go to PT problem solved.

Go to the PT get it done then go back to bed problem solved I can seriously think of way worse problems then getting a few hours sleep having pt then going back to bed

Are you going to die?

As an old NCO, I remember that Regulations only require the commander to give a soldier 4 hours off (not sleep), while in garrison, and only one hour of sleep in tactical situations. Now if I were your Squad Leader, or Section Sergeant, I would be talking with Top, and figuring out a workable accommodation for those who have to work abnormal duty hours. I wish you luck Specialist, and THANK YOU, for carrying on the defense of freedom!

I cannot even believe ur trying to get out of this. ITS NOT A PROBLEM do UR JOB and PT IS A PART OF UR JOB U DO IT JUST LIKE BASIC WHEN they tell u to do it. And U HAD LESS than 4-5 hours of continuous sleep back then.

I've read some of the other comments and feel this needs a solid response. A civilian nurse, even an ER/trauma nurse can expect to work a 12-hour shift. Most civilian first responders work 12-hour shifts. Everyone in the military is expected to be mission-ready 24-7-365, unless there are extenuating circumstances.
To feel that having 16 hours of downtime being interrupted is a "problem" IS the problem. I'm sure nearly everyone here has posted the 0000-0400 watch and been present for PT at 0530, or been deployed and worked 18 hour days, or been in combat and 'worked' nonstop for however long.
I'm not unsympathetic but you need to get your self-discipline in order, SPC Davis. We all have jobs that require accuracy for the sake of lives. Being physically fit is part of the commitment from Bootcamp onwards and is a fundamental part of your capability.

Why do I feel unsympathetic right now!? Suck it up comes to mind. Sorry, no pass.