Raining when you show up for APFT: Run it or postpone?

Over nearly 20 years in, I have done APFT in the Rain, snow, etc. As leaders we must be able to use common sense and determine if the "juice is worth the squeeze". I mean by that of course is if the rain will not have a negative impact and will not cause unnecessary injury, then I believe it can be run. You have to take a lot of things into account. A few are Location and temperature. Rain in October at Fort Drum, or Fort Wainwright is different that at Schofield Barracks or Fort Hood.

All senior leaders ask us is to make those decisions. If it is safe, proceed, if not reschedule.

Is there lightning? If so, cancel it. That's a clear and present danger. How hard is the rain coming down? If it's pouring so bad you can't see, cancel it.

Well sir, this has obviously happened in the past so you should have come to a decision regarding your course of action. The weather, while not optimal, is not an issue as long as there isn't lightning associated with that rain. A standard risk assessment would should be your measuring stick.

If those 4 people's advancements are hanging in the balance of a PT test and they cannot pass because of some rain then they were not ready to pass at all. The very nature of our job as a soldier, regardless of MOS, dictates that we be able to perform up to standard even in the face of adversity or less than perfect conditions. I am not alone in stating that I have taken PT tests in in climate weather before, and it makes little difference unless there is one hell of a headwind, and even then we pushed on. I am not Combat Arms, so this isn't coming from some "hooah hooah" soldier that thinks that you should be able to push through anything.

Anyone who complained that the weather was bad and that is why they failed will most likely be that person who has an excuse for everything anyway, and I personally don't think those types of soldiers should ever be in a leadership position. Maxing the minimum is the wrong answer.

Safety is first. But a little rain never hurt anyone. I feel the ones I have done in the rain had many advantages. No over heating, no need for a shower after. :) I had soldiers complain about the heat then the cold. Had soldiers get hurt in rain and in the sun. Just mitigate the risks and move on.

If it ain't raining we ain't training. Great question, LTC (Join to see). It's a situation I encountered a couple times during my active duty career, not as a leader, but as an APFT participant.

One time in Germany stands out because it was raining lightly when we started, and by the time we started running (and finished running) it was pouring! It felt very good to have that APFT behind us.

i just ran one yesterday so I say GO FOR IT

Personally the APFT has become so mundane to me in achieving a perfect score that I will purposefully do muscle failure after work the day prior IOT make it a challenge to get a 300. If it it is raining, it assists in increasing the suck factor, thereby making it more fun simultaneously. At the same time I believe that in general we are coddling soldiers too much in making their training conditions perfect, Murphy does not approve of this. If we only train for the best possible scenarios how are we going to react when we are faced with any sort of adversity, much less the worst case scenario. When's the last time you can recall that you were carrying a ruck on your back someone over your shoulders and their ruck on your front? If it was recently then it sounds like your unit is training properly for a MASCAL scenario. I have never had a PT test delayed due to weather (hot, cold, rain, sleet, snow etc.) and it has only made myself and my unit better for it. Just because the QTB slides wont have all green on them doesn't mean you aren't doing the right thing. I have been places where all the slides were green and pretty for those training meetings, but the soldiers could not shoot/move(PT)/communicate effectively much less do any of those things at the same time. Now seeing that these soldiers were looking at advancement and this PT test was a factor in their promotion, I would expect them to be able to perform to their fullest, regardless of the situation. I have always expected my leaders to always be either always outperform their soldiers, or at a minimum push themselves past their limits during a time when they may be outperformed, for the simple fact that it shows that they are willing to push when it matters.

Safety first. Wet ground, chance of thunder? I guess it depends on how bad its raining.
I've taken an APFT in very light drizzle. If its very windy, running against the wind can be a difference maker for some peoples run time. I would pick another date to run the APFT if possible. It will help raise your squad PT score and the unit's overall PT score. Why make it more difficult?

At my unit, the training shop is very good at being mindful of the weather and we'll let people know ahead of time if there is a possibility the date will be moved.

Let the Soldiers decide, it's their APFT score. Most of the time I enjoy the rain when I run, but don't give the Soldiers the ability to make an excuse when they don't do well. Though, truth be told, it all boils down to safety.

Usually when given the choice my Soldiers elected to take it and get the test over with, rather than have to deal with weather delay after weather delay.

CPT Brian Maurelli,

Many years ago as a young Marine, I had a First Sergeant who ran every physical fitness event and test in Combat Boots and Utility trousers (Boots and Utes). One day, after working up the nerve to speak to this scariest or scary Marines, I asked, "First Sergeant, why do you always were Boots and Utes when we do PT?" First Sergeant Brown's response: "When I was in Viet Nam, we didn't have no running shoes and shorts!"

Train is my advise. Change it to a diagnostic to protect the records if you must, but train.

SFC Joseph M. Finck USA (Ret)