Posted on Sep 27, 2019
Esper to talk with SECNAV about the flabby Navy’s PT program
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This issue is one that has been "growing" for a long time. In the early 2000's, in an effort to streamline manning, the Navy decided to make the galleys on ships self serve. Prior to that decision, a closely supervised mess crank served you your choice of 1 protein, 1 starch, 1 vegetable. You were allowed one dinner roll and one dessert. Once they made it self serve, all portion control went out the window. Add the fact that some of the trays that are used hold tremendous amount of food, and it is proven fact that a hungry person is highly likely to fill his/her plate to capacity. Obviously, the Navy needs to go back to institutional portion control.
Another issue is that this trend will not change until the Navy decides that the McDonalds outside of Pier 14 on NOB Norfolk should not be the most popular galley on base during lunch time. On NOB alone there are at least 12 fast food shops/kiosks, and not one place where someone can get a truly healthy and tasty meal, and I don't include those places that pay lip-service to healthy (I'm looking at you Subway). All of the Fast Food joint's should be punted off base, if the Navy is serious about making the cultural change necessary to reverse this trend.
PT! Sailor PT is a Wardroom/Chief's Mess issue. We have sacrificed unit PT on the altar of operational readiness/maintenance. There is "too much" to do to allow for the 2 hours a day it would require to do effective unit PT. I have had CO's tell me that PT "will not be done during regular working hours". That is the kind of mindset that got us here. And even those that would allow for PT during the work day, sacrificed it the moment any issue arose. Until I read a POD that states:
0700 - Muster
0730 - 0900 Mandatory Command PT
(Mon-Fri)
I know that the Navy is paying lip service to the issue.
And Chiefs' Mess, you need to take the lead. Set the example, lead the PT sessions, and effectively balance mission requirements and PT requirements.
Another issue is that this trend will not change until the Navy decides that the McDonalds outside of Pier 14 on NOB Norfolk should not be the most popular galley on base during lunch time. On NOB alone there are at least 12 fast food shops/kiosks, and not one place where someone can get a truly healthy and tasty meal, and I don't include those places that pay lip-service to healthy (I'm looking at you Subway). All of the Fast Food joint's should be punted off base, if the Navy is serious about making the cultural change necessary to reverse this trend.
PT! Sailor PT is a Wardroom/Chief's Mess issue. We have sacrificed unit PT on the altar of operational readiness/maintenance. There is "too much" to do to allow for the 2 hours a day it would require to do effective unit PT. I have had CO's tell me that PT "will not be done during regular working hours". That is the kind of mindset that got us here. And even those that would allow for PT during the work day, sacrificed it the moment any issue arose. Until I read a POD that states:
0700 - Muster
0730 - 0900 Mandatory Command PT
(Mon-Fri)
I know that the Navy is paying lip service to the issue.
And Chiefs' Mess, you need to take the lead. Set the example, lead the PT sessions, and effectively balance mission requirements and PT requirements.
Esper to talk with SECNAV about the flabby Navy’s PT program
Posted from militarytimes.comPosted in these groups: 
CPO
Physical Training
CPO Physical Training
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 5
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Senior Chief, it's kind of hard to do PT on a carrier before, during, and after flight ops! To much going on with the moving of planes around the deck, or brining plane out of the hangar deck! Skippers are right you can't do PT during working hours! When we were in the IO in the 80's we had no fly days and the air department as well the other departments on the ship did their required semi annual PT! In port each department would go do their PT during working hours with permission from the skipper!! The duty sections remained aboard the ship to continue ships work and man watches!! I was never a fan of PT anyway because when you send 12-14 hours a day humping chocks and chains you didn't have to many flabby sailors!
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SCPO Jason McLaughlin
Skippers are required by regulation to authorize PT during the workday. Current Carriers have 4 gyms on board, with lots of treadmills. There is plenty of opportunity. Unfortunately, the first thing a Skipper does when he deploys is operationally defer the next 2 PT tests. Better that than risk having a high fail rate annotated on a FITREP.
Thinks have changed. Megacalorie energy drinks, and Starbucks Venti White Mochas at sea are the norm....
Thinks have changed. Megacalorie energy drinks, and Starbucks Venti White Mochas at sea are the norm....
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CPO Charles Helms
SCPO Jason McLaughlin - I come from a different era than you also! On Coral Sea we had no gym when I was on her from 76-77 and 79-83! The Focsle and a portion of the hangar bay could b used after flight ops on the hangar bay! The focsle after 2100 if my memory serves me right! We had no gym on Enterprise from during my time either 86-89 the same 2 places were used for working out!! I retired in 1991 so after that I have no idea of todays carriers and what they had or gyms!! Like I told you in my last post humping chocks and chains for12-14 hours a day I didn't have a lot of flabby sailors!! Plus we didn't have the galleys self serve either! Not all change is good change!!
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I agree that the food needs to be dispensed by mess personnel again.
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Four ships a counting, never been on or heard of one, that was self serve. Maybe LCS...
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SCPO (Join to see)
SCPO Jason McLaughlin Do you mean in the Mess or the main chow line for the crew? In the Mess, yes it's self serve, but have not seen it for the the crew chow line. I'll agree, the self serve in the Mess, can make it difficult to keep the weight down if you don't have self control.
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SCPO Jason McLaughlin
SCPO (Join to see) - I'm talking about the main chow line. When I was on the Truman, I once saw a Sailor serve himself up a whole chickens worth of fried chicken....
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SCPO (Join to see)
SCPO Jason McLaughlin LOL, gotta love Sailors. Interesting about the self serve though only ever heard of it of LCS. Definitely need to go back to the all hands, mandatory Command PT in the mornings. Worked great on my first two ships. Plenty of unnecessary meetings we could get rid of to make room.
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SCPO Jason McLaughlin
SCPO (Join to see) - Totally Agree, takes top down leadership, and a desire to hold people accountable. The ONLY Sailors that are excused from Command PT are oncoming/offgoing duty sections. Also Command PT should be a Mon-Fri evolution. To make the cultural shift required to emphasize the importance of a fit fighting force, PT has to become a daily routine.
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