Would you prefer to work with somebody more physically fit, or with more job proficiency?
This has been a question on here several times? Someone else
asked this and goodness is it really that hard to find a stud that is smart in
other MOSs’. What happens when you job as a leader is to lead from the front when
you are required to physically be in front of your element on the side of a
mountain or in a tight fitting alley? I have seen leaders that are great
people, studs that had the common sense of a door nail but could learn with the
correct leader. If to choose I would choose a PVT that was a beast, inspiring a
little competition within my PLT and with the correct mentorship that leaders
are supposed to provide will become a great stud and thinking Soldier.
I am going to have to be one of the odd men out on this. I say physical fitness. I up voted a few people cause they kind of said what I am about to say. We are Soldier Athletes by definition. The first thing on and the last thing off the training schedule is supposed to be PRT in the morning.
Most MOS can not function properly without being fit and healthy. I am signal so I will speak on that. You arrive at your site in the middle of the night and spend the next 24 to 48 hours unloading, hauling and carrying around equipment that weighs thousands of pounds. Then you go those 2 days on little to no sleep because the battle field needs there communications. That type of exertion to the body and mind can only happen if you are a fit, well oiled machine.
I would also like to point out like most leaders on here know your MOS sometimes means nothing. We are know many people who have suddenly became the NCOIC, team chief or SME of something that has nothing to do with there MOS. I personally have held slots in 4 MOS that are not my own. Because somebody had to do it.
Training Room, Operations, Arms room, driver or any other additional duty that has become a primary job. You may go to AIT to become one MOS but that will only last so long before you become a platoon Sergeant, 1SG, or CSM and stop doing your MOS because you have admin work to do now.
But you will always be a Soldier athlete that must keep your body and mind in top physical condition to combat the enemy. You want to be a SME that sucks at PT get out of the Army and become a civilian.
Chief, I agree that it is a hand and hand relationship. It seems to be a huge trend going around saying that you if you are great at PT you cant be good at anything else. So if you make me choose it will be physical fitness every time.
I see this complaint a lot in my AO. It is usually a Soldier who is decent and sometimes even an expert at their job but suck at the PT test. So instead of going and getting better with PT they want to complain about how PT means nothing.
Out of the 20 Soldiers in my platoon the handful that I would get rid of because they are dead weight. You know a waste of my time and half *** everything. Happen to be the same Soldiers with horrible PT scores, borderline AWCP and don't want to improve.
They are not all PT studs but all my good troops consistently get better with PT because they know the importance of it. And they are smart and know their jobs. Cause you can have it both ways it shouldn't be a choice.

Fitness
Proficiency
Competence
