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Originally Posted by incommin
Don't think it will happen.
Jim
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Certainly not Army wide, but SF folks have a lot of latitude to do what is necessary-passing the APFT is just one of those inconvenient blips on the semi-annual training schedule and amounts to an annoying measure of "physical fitness" needed for entries on efficiency reports so there is a common measure for Army wide promotion and evaluation boards in their quest to identify who has demonstrated the potential to move forward. In fact it measures only compliance with regulations and the ability to perform to a common standard under defined conditions and while it is a starting point we all know it is an insufficient measure of an appropriate level of physical fitness for many military functions. In my day, and in yours, there were not only different standards but different events for acceptance in airborne and ranger schools. Even the armor folks back in the late 70s introduced a PT test that involved tasks associated with being a tanker that had nothing to do with any other functions in any other branches, with the exception of perhaps mech infantry. Everyone knew that the PT program was broken then as it is now and while "it won't happen" Army wide it has happened in the past, did happen in my day, and without a doubt is happening today. I guess my point about all of this is that the days of the standardized APFT should be restricted to initial entry evaluations and the basic level requirement that says you are alive and can participate in the real PT programs at unit level. The measure of physical fitness, where the minimum requirement is the APFT, should be set by the unit commanders IAW mission requirements and failure to meet those requirements should be grounds for reclassification/reassignment as has been done in several units for as long as I can remember.