Posted on Nov 28, 2016
What are your thoughts on a universal DOD fitness test?
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Just a thought for discussion. I'm not on either side of the fence yet, but am wondering how a universal fitness test with the same standards (testing push ups, pull ups, sit ups and running)throughout every branch would work.
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Fitness
Fitness
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 62
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This is a case of "one size does NOT fit all". As an INTEL troop, I had no need to hump 20 miles down the road carrying 80 pounds of stuff on my back. Likewise, I don't see many submariners having that requirement either. Should the Army or Marines reduce their standards because the AF is more technical than physical? I submit to you that would be a mistake of epic proportion. Different branches and different jobs have different standards for a reason.
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SGM Douglas Lack
It would only work as a minimum level to serve. There was not a single position that I held in 24 and 1/2 years that a minimum level would be good enough. That being said there were positions that that it would work for such as lab tech in a hospital or a finance clerk. I do believe that minimum level should be fairly high. Most of high school graduates I have seen in the last ten years or so could not pass where I would set the that minimum level.
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SSG Jeffrey Monk
I agree with 90% of what you said MSGT. But what happens to those AF Intel guys that get attatched to Army Infantry Units and can't keep up? My Sister who is AF MI has only deployed with the AF once. Her first Iraq deployment she was embeded with the Army 4thID and her full term at Herlbert Air Field she deployed every winter with various Spec Ops. She was the only female in her Unit who was SERE qualified and having grown up with three older brothers she was well versed in field craft. But she is an exception and not the rule. The AF EOD Team that was attached to us for a few months were great but couldn't hump a lick without their truck. We ended up using their C4 and a modified Clayore Mine wire spool to blow caches than they did.
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SPC Mike Held
I was in the Army, spent the last 3 years stationed as a Linear Particle Accelerator operator/tech, a piece of equipment that filled 3 rooms, had high voltage power supplies (in excess of 100,00 volts) and used for radiation hardness testing, had to be in an air conditioned facility.....and still had to do the annual PT test. Even though the job I was assigned had and still has NO MOS assigned, was all OJT, and there was only 4 soldiers in the entire US Army that had this job when I was stationed there.
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Sgt William Margeson
When standards are lowered for what ever reason, there is a detrimental affect to overall fitness. A cook, warehouseman, electronic repair, or other support troops need not run 5 miles, nor lift 200 lbs etc. However a uniform standard of ffitness is a must, hence the PFT Infantry and others who lake long walks in the wood, lugging Alice the Wart, require higher standards which can be attained when assigned to a unit.
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Non starter right off the get go. Each Service is different so there will always be differ PT standards. Would really like to see some Army, Navy and Air Force folks run the USMC PFT...oh yeah 3 miles...Semper Fi.
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CSM Clifford Fargason
MGySgt James Forward In Class 37 of the USA Sergeants Major Academy we had a Marine First Sergeant. Everyone was required to take the Army PT test. The First Sergeant failed the test and the retest, washed out of the course.
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MGySgt James Forward
CSM Clifford Fargason - Maybe the First Sgt should not have been a First Sgt....Semper Fi.
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CSM Clifford Fargason
MGySgt James Forward - He probably would have shined on pull ups, I would have sucked on pull ups. When I first enlisted our test was five events and geared more towards combat related movements and IMO, a better test of fitness overall.
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CSM Clifford Fargason
MGySgt James Forward - just noticed that you were CBRE. When I went through the Chemical Advanced NCO Course at Ft McClellan in 87 we had a Gunnery Sergeant as an instrutor (mostly on Naval and Marine Air assets). Very sharp NCO, I remember more of what he taught, although his name escapes me, than any of the other tasks with the exception of fuel flame expedients.
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While the idea may sound good on some levels, I have to side with SGM Erik Marquez and MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P on this. Sure, it would be great to hold everyone in the military to same standard of physical fitness but the idea doesn't really pass the common sense test (which probably means the DoD loves the idea and is rewriting the regs as we speak). I say leave it to the different branches, they know the exact requirements for their members and should be the ones in charge of ensuring the members meet those standards. I do, however, like the idea of a test based more on the Marines' CFT as Cpl Justin Goolsby mentioned in his post. I think a test should reflect more of what the service member is asked to do within his/her own job field but then again that idea is hard to standardized as well. Leaves a lot of room for conversation.
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Col Joseph Lenertz
Agree with you, SGT Ben Keen. Alaska isn't Florida, and the Marines Corps isn't the Air Force. Component support to the JFC, & service roles and missions...drive how we T.O.&E. our forces. Training (including fitness) is required to complete JMETs assigned to the unit. Different missions, different tasks, different org structure, different standards.
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SSG Jeffrey Monk
Thats funny Col Lenertz. This 95lb Floridian got stationed everywhere it was cold. It reminds me God has a sense of humor though I wasn't feeling it or anything else my first winter at Ft Drum. Also did my time in Korea and Alaska. But you are right. Training troops in Peru was very diffrent than training with the Canadians.
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