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?

The UCMJ ( if that is even applicable today) states, allows 4 hrs. Of sleep in 24 hrs. I ain't nothing special but as the men with me on many occasions, for 3 or 4 days without sleep was not uncommon. A cat nap, one man at a time was all. If it was what you referring to as "sleep" was done...CHARLIE would see to it you woke up with your throat cut. Boy Scouts get to sleep to play, In war you stay awake to live. Sounds like a personal problem to me. Chaplains hours are 9 to 12. Or quit.

Your in the Military roll with it

As an ongoing thing, talk to the PSG and set up a separate PT session for your section. In the meantime, suck it up

When I was stationed in Germany, I worked the night shift in a computer operations section for logistics. Our work schedule was 1630 until we got finished with our nightly work schedule. Some nights, we worked until 1930, some nights, we worked until 0600. Our section was exempt from morning PT formation and morning formation. Our OIC worked this all out with the company and battalion commanders. We were still responsible for getting our workouts in, because we were NOT exempt from PT tests, weapons qual, and the duty roster. I would recommend that this particular soldier needs to have a chat with his NCOIC and OIC as to have a more logical solution to his particular dilemma.

Suck it up. I was in a SIGINT unit where we did rotating shifts. Days, eves, mids, & then two days off. We would work all night & then have to do PT, do the APFT, train for the range, go to the range & qualify, & then do all kinds of things. And don't you dare fall asleep. If the PT field was getting the grass cut or the range had issues, we would have to mull around until things were ready. Sometimes in the afternoon. This occurred at several strategic assignments I was at. Our favorite time for the APFT in Hawaii was at midnight after an evening shift. It was laid back, cooler, & nobody else around. We just had to whisper loudly so we didn't disturb those who worked normal hours. Is it fair? No. But it does have it's benefits. Make sure to grab good sleep time when you can & when you do go to war, you won't be crying when the enemy attacks you after only 2 hours asleep. Been there & done that too.

Too many anecdotal stories of coming to PT still feeling the effects of drinking the night before (especially in Germany). That was nothing compared to being in Korea during that time. Not only the aftereffects of Mechcu but add in the smell of Kimchi coming out through the sweat pores and it is far worse.
As for the problem of the SPC (P), since she posted this two years ago, I would have liked to know as a soon-to-be NCO how she resolved the issue. It is not fair that her shift was treated differently. She did not say how many people were affected by the policy, there is strength in numbers.

Under the regs have changed since I ETSed, leadership is required to give you the opportunity to sleep for 7 hours (but not consecutively). As said by all responses, it sucks. However, it is also a poor leadership decision which obviously is leading to poor morale. I would talk to my team leader, squad leader, and platoon sergeant. But don't just go and complain. I am sure they already know that the situation sucks and is bring down the company's morale. Instead, trying to come up with a viable solution to the problem that might appeal to your 1SG or at least your NCOs will be able to sell to him. Then, with solution(s) in hand, talk to your NCOs. Present to them the problem, the consequences of the problem (lower morale, likely lower numbers of Soldiers reupping, etc), and then the possible solutions that might be acceptable to your 1SG. Think seperate formations and PT for each shift with a weekly or monthly 0530 PT formation for the whole or majority of the company. You have to give something.

There's my two cents. Best of luck.

Suck it up or kick rocks. Some of us went on 30 minutes asleep a day for months overseas. Maybe try to get less sleep on your own and adjust. Tower guard is always an option too.

My suggestion is to talk to the 1SG off line explain your situation and work out an alternative

Army regulations state that you be allowed only 6 hours downtime while in garrison and 4 hours downtime while on FTX or deployed. Those are down times, and if it takes you half an hour to fall asleep you get 3 and a half or 5 and a half hours sleep. This is why you learn to sleep when you can and fall asleep fast. You are a soldier, you chose this, you swore an oath and now you're going to whine about having to follow orders because you need your nappy time? Suck it up and grab a nap before and after or just plan your sleep time for after and stay the hell awake until PT is over. You have from zero hundred hours until formation, then I would imagine an hour and a half PT at most so you have from 0700 until 1600, that alone is 9 hours after PT.

SPC(P), Most of the responses you are going to read have been written by folks in traditional field units. Good answers but not relevant to MEDDAC. As a former MEDDAC CSM, I will tell you it's a different world. Let's look at this from the perspective that NCOs are entrusted with the health and welfare of their soldiers. They are also responsible to accomplish the mission. Your physical fitness is part of the mission. However, so is safety. Let's consider what would happen if we required a soldier to operate a vehicle with insufficient rest and they crash it. A 15-6 investigation would look for contributing factors which lack of rest would likely be one of them. So, a soldier who works an 8-hour shift, gets 5 hours of sleep and drives to PT has a car wreck on the way there or back to his or her quarters, the cause of the accident would be just as attributable to lack of rest. Who is responsible? The First Sergeant. In a MEDDAC, the First Sergeant must have a PT schedule for soldiers on every shift. The Command Sergeant Major should ensure the First Sergeant is doing his job, correctly.
You have several options. One is to request to see your NCOIC and then the First Sergeant. If the First Sergeant doesn't fix this, then the next step is the Command Sergeant Major. If those individuals don't understand the importance of safety, you can contact the installation IG and ask them if you are entitled to 8-hours of uninterrupted rest between shifts. You are a SPC(P) so this is a good developmental learning experience for you.

I agree with other about time management on the part of the member posing the question. I would also add: You have identified what you believe to be a "problem" because the PT sessions apparently aren't convenient for "your" life. Then you are expecting others (this forum being a group of others) to come up with a solution including possible regs. How about proposing your own solution, making a proposal, and getting credit for initiative instead of being a whiner. I have a proposal in mind, but giving it away would be robbing you of your own personal growth and journey toward potential leadership. When you reach those positions to be of influence to your subordinates you will have this experience to reflect on and perhaps solutions to delimas similar to this.

You are whining. Get up, or, shower and go back to bed. Nothing compared to the old days.

You go to PT.

Do the people in the morning and then go back to bed, or talk to your shift supervisor about adjusting your schedule.

I don’t see the problem you go to PT can you do the damn best you can. If you don’t pass I don’t do well enough to satisfy the instructor then you have a discussion about why you did so poorly.
Commanders also have to make a choice between two different things how important is it for you to get a good nights rest and how important is it to get this PT thing out-of-the-way. I’m not claiming that all commanders make the right decision I’m just saying that as an enlisted man your job is to be the order unless there’s a serious legal or more reason not to.

You are a United States Military person deal with it. when you are in combat you wont get sleep

Take naps when you can, reduce caffeine intake close to end of shift. Stay away from computer screens, tablets, video games etc close to end of your shift. When you are in bed, your bed if for sleeping; not checking phone, not watching tv. Go to bed after PT. If you have dreams of firefighting or nursing after your career, get used to sleep deprivation. 24 hour shifts with 2 hours sleep if it's a busy shift. Midnight to 515 is more than enough time to get some rest, go to pt and the sleep afterwards. Late shifts suck, but it's doable.

you can get 4 hours sleep, do your pt, then get the rest of your sleep after pt