Is it legal to order a diagnostic pt test two days after a record pt test?

2019-04-19T16:25:16-04:00

Soldier who failed the record APFT where told to do it two days after the failure, all of them fail again, and said they were tired from the record APFT.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2019 4:38 PM

2019-04-19T16:38:18-04:00

Personally, you would still be sore from the last test. It is too soon.
Let's get 2nd opinions and a regulation.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2019 4:39 PM

2019-04-19T16:39:22-04:00

As an NCO what did you find when you referenced the regulations?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2019 4:54 PM

2019-04-19T16:54:31-04:00

When asked the commander,and first sgt they said they are given one per month, it was the PLT SGT decision to send his Soldiers to redo the PT test, evendo there were already a remedio PT inplace the same day same time with company previous failure Soldiers.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Apr 19 at 2019 5:12 PM

2019-04-19T17:12:32-04:00

Yes. A diagnostic PT test is legally nothing more than a PT session. A soldier should be able to do PT on a couple of days rest. However, a leader's judgment will be questioned when forcing a soldier to do that. And, if the leader takes punitive action based on that diagnostic PT test, they could be setting themself up for trouble.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 19 at 2019 9:39 PM

2019-04-19T21:39:13-04:00

I really wish Soldiers would stop prefacing every question with "Is it legal?".
It almost always certainly is.
"Is it legal?" is an E4 Mafia question that bugged me even when I was in the E4 Mafia.
Inconvenient or undesirable events in the Army do not equal illegal.
They just equal suck. Every time.
A diagnostic APFT two days after a failed record APFT?
Sure it's legal.
Is it value added? If the failure in question was 1 to 5 points in one event, sure.
If the reason is to just drive the point home while you still have those MDAYs/TPUs at the unit in a drilling status, maybe.
If a soldier is still tired two days after a failed APFT, odds are that APFT was his first PT in 3 to 12 months.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Apr 19 at 2019 10:15 PM

2019-04-19T22:15:44-04:00

REally?, must real different in the USAR. We did PT every day 5 -6 days a week. Technically you body should be able to recover in approx 8 hrs. Legally, if the CO wants, you could be doing diagnostics every damn day, or every other day. Maybe instead of looking for an out for these folks, you should work on getting them up to STANDARDS before they are sent home. Army cut 21k so far since Oct for being non-deployable.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Apr 22 at 2019 2:01 PM

2019-04-22T14:01:08-04:00

Key is "diagnostic" and yes the command can conduct a diagnostic test two days after a failed APFT look at FM 7-22 and AR 350-1. Personally I would not conduct one so close to the record test as the recovery period for some Soldiers may be longer then one day especially if they were giving it their all and the purpose of a diagnostic is to gage the readiness of the Soldier. But the command is not out of bounds on it.

" Legal" even if the command was incorrect in administering the diagnostic APFT, it would be "inappropriate" verses illegal, because there is no punitive action associated with the outcome.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2019 10:15 AM

2019-05-12T10:15:17-04:00

No where in the regulation does it say “diagnostic” APFT!!!! There are only “Record” APFTs...those are the only ones that get you flagged if you fail. The commander can give an APFT whenever he or she wants to. There just needs to be a minimum of 4 months between “Record” APFTs. Unless of course you fail one. Then you need to take a “Record” APFT within 30 days. If you fail that one then the Commander initiates the chapter. Doesn’t mean you are gonna get chaptered. Just means that the chapter will be initiated. Some of you really need to open up a regulation instead of going on what you heard someone say!!!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2019 10:20 AM

2019-05-12T10:20:27-04:00

Doing the APFT helps with the APFT. If you want to get better at it, then practice it.
Pushing and sitting up until muscle failure with a 2 minute time limit is an easy PT session in my opinion.
Obviously if failing the PT test isn’t enough of a blow to a Soldier’s morale, then why not have another PT test to let it sink in before they get chaptered out for failure to meet the standards.