Should PT standards be neutral across the board?

Are men and women physically different? Yes. Are the mission requirements between servicemen and women different? No. I'm supportive of it, especially if are the physical requirements are based on the mission. We want our servicemen and women held to the same standards, so we know without a doubt that they can perform accordingly. I don't necessarily believe that raising the bar to the males standard is the right answer. The MOS fitness test sounds like a good start to finding the right balance.

To do that we will either have to loosen the requirements for the women or keep the standards high and have fewer women in the ranks. One cannot ignore the differences between men's and women's physical capabilities for political or ideological reasons.

Reality will quickly raise its ugly head and force choices to be made.

There should be a universal PT standard for military members and a more restrictive PT standard for combat arms. Since gender (along with gender fluidity) is no longer a held belief, standards must be applied uniformly to comply with the need to treat every equally.

I gotta say off the top, I'm not a fan of that idea. I think there is a real need to re-evaluate the purpose and application of any of the physical fitness tests. As a nurse, I don't feel it's necessary to have to prove a level of fitness to the same degree as an Infantryman or Marine for that matter. I think by using a totally universal "standard" it makes the point of the whole thing moot.
But, I also think that using a physical fitness score as a primary arbiter of your ability to do the job well or long-term also shortcahanges the military of some very good members, skills, and talent. Look at how some members who are so fit have to get taped because their body simply doesn't match the average tables. At least in the Army, I know of a few instances where people were chaptered out because they could not meet these standards, but there performance was great! So I have to ask how these so-called standards are really applicable today. Some MOSs do need a level off specific fitness, but I believe they have developed skills challenges to meet those needs. Please let me know if I'm wrong. As transgendered troops come in, I think we really have to revisit the value of the fitness scores against future potential.

The one place that they actually were the same, the Marine Corps school for Infantry Officers did, until 97% of the female candidates failed to meet the minimum. How do you show up not being prepared for the minimum? Of course, now the progressives want to review what is really needed to be a Marine Infantry Officer. Anyone surprised?

I think the option of having multiple APFTs should be evaluated for feasibility. If your job is some type office based, technological, health care etc they should consider one version. If you are infantry, police, or anything with arduous expectations, there should be another. Neither should be easy but the expectations should merit their career field. Another tactic is to have a single PT standard and require different passing scores to meet minimum expected job demands. For example one requires 60 pts per even and another may require 70 pts and yet an elite level may require 80 pts for the jobs that expect the highest physical performance. That passing standard should be the same across that military branch for that job or field.

In either case it should be gender neutral and based on the expected job requirements. One Soldier should not have to pick up slack for another unless that Soldier has been injured or incapacitated.

No, it should not be Pass/Fail as it will remove the motivation for those to excel to garner premiere fitness, promotion points, et cetera. They will only look at the singular 'passing' number.

The standard for passing should be the same across the board, the standard for excelling should be different based on factors like age and sex. Yes, that means even that 60 year old General should have to meet the same Minimum standard as a 21 year old soldier. That will hopefully force us to take a second look at what the minimum standard should be, before we apply it across the board to everyone. Elevated standards for certain specialties also make sense.

If the base army standard is 2 miles in 18 minutes, 30 sit-ups and 30 push-ups... the base standard for Combat arms could still be 2 miles in 15 minutes, 60 sit-ups and 60 push-ups... if that's what the MOS requires.

The Army had to do that in 1980 with the current 3 Army Physical Fitness events.

Including Transgender males ,who most likely will have a competitive advantage.

Many, but not all, female to male transgenders who many will have issues with doing pushups and the faster time required in the run (especially if they are overweight or close to it).

Its a conondrum that the civilian leadership legislated into regulations knowing its only about 3 per thousand who are affected. It is EEOC at its extreme since the miltary is selective about those with ailments or deformities but those who want to join or who are already in playing God with their body and they wanting special privileges/Parole since they chose to change their gender?

In our times of sequestration, limited budgets, riffing soldiers for minor stuff but who are, in my opinion, worthy of staying in but then allowing in those who will need help, NCO protection and most likely will not bond with their soldiers/marines/shipmates/airmen because they are transgender in a very clickish and tough environment of basic training or small unit cohesion where their is no favoritism and where everyone does their part for the team. I believe, based on my family experience with a problem smoking/drinking/dropout/depressed transgender lazy daughter would be boat anchor or a caustic impediment to a small unit having someone who is having issues with themselves and not focused on the mission.

The mission is learning to get along with others, learing a skill, becoming a leader, selfless service and not worrying about being in the wrong body but worrying about being at the ready for the enemy or battle stations on a ship or being at the ready as an Airman. Its not about :'OMG, I want my reassignment now!'

What gets me mad is now the SECDEF says Uncle Sam will pay for the surguery and treatment for a preexisting condition which I think is not part an injury or illness related to their garrison or combat duty. It is such b.s. We are so short of money but the selective transgenders, as long as they can pass P.t. get the free surguery at our expense!
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I believe that doesn't Matter if your male or Female should be the same across the board. it pass or fail.

LTJG (Join to see)
Absolutely. Effective immediately men should have to meet women's PFA requirements.