Desert PT Testing

[capt4fans]

You've herad the rumors, you've said, "No way" there's no way they can PT test in the desert. Well ladies and gentlemen, it's official. Starting 1 October, desert PT testing is here.

Read the attachment and enjoy. Yet another reason not to deploy. AFCENT PT POLICY.pdf

[Champ Kind]

OK - I know someone in AFCENT is going to douche this up, but, this doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. Think about all of the people that are going to wind up taking > 2 PT tests a year because they deploy for 4 months twice a year, and you can't deploy if your PT test is going to go non-current, so you wind up taking at least 3. At least now you don't have to do that many. Plus, I don't know about you guys, but I'm definitely in better shape in the desert than at home.

YMMV, but this doesn't have to be a bad thing.

.....I know, I know. Someone will fuck it up and use this as an excuse to make it worse than it already is.

[BADFNZ]

It looks like only those deployed more than a year will have to test. I've never been deployed so I don't know, but how is this different than the way it is now?

[Flare]

Well, on the bright side, it gives you a chance to test with someone besides a new fitness cell nazi.

Also, the temps at the Deid will pretty much preclude testing from end of May - Sept....even at 0500.

[Toro]

Doesn't seem like a big deal. Only folks on 365s and permanent party will test, and that's just to ensure they're in compliance with the new PT policy (once every six months). Sure, taking a PT test in the blazing heat sucks, but there's plenty of places in the world where it's 100+ temps and PT tests are given. Been there, done that.

[JeepGuyC17]

I can see it now: Return from mission at 0300, squadron PT at 0730 for anyone not in crew rest- sleep cycle be damned!

[Beaver]

I wish people would quit being such pussies about our pathetic PT test.

[Bronco130]

I wish people would quit being such pussies about our pathetic PT test.

I joined the AF for one reason and one reason alone.... to get fat and reign death above. No PT test required for that.

[nsplayr]

Think about all of the people that are going to wind up taking > 2 PT tests a year because they deploy for 4 months twice a year, and you can't deploy if your PT test is going to go non-current, so you wind up taking at least 3.

This problem can be solved with a waiver if you have the right leadership. Our boss said "hell no" to us taking more than 2 PT tests per year just because we're out there deploying a lot...that wasn't the intent of the new regs.

[Gravedigger]

I wish people would quit being such pussies about our pathetic PT test.

Amen! I can't believe how many folks complain about having no time to put in the amount of work needed to pass our PFT. I'm thinking really, you don't have one hour per week? Your fatass eats Little Debbies for more than an hour a week.

25 year old dudes that can't run 1.5 miles in under 14:30?!?! UFB.

[Guest Hueypilot812]

I think most of the PT test is fine, even the twice annual test (the Army does it too). The only thing I hate about our test is the arbitrary abdominal measurement. I can run the 1.5 mile in 11-12 minutes and max the push ups and sit ups, but a skinny kid who jogs the run and doesn't max out the strength tests somehow always got a higher score than me. I can PT twice a day and eat 1,500 calories in a day, but I'd still have a stout build.

I know they tried to fix the waist measurement and to me when I'm in shape I'm a 35-36 which would max it, but I'm also not really tall either. That's a pretty narrow band between 35 inches for max and 39.5 inches for a fail. Regardless of how you score it, I think a person's build CAN have a determination on their fitness, but not always. I've seen plenty of stocky people that can run like hell, etc.

I say get rid of the waist entirely, or if they want to keep it, make the waist worth 10 points and the push-ups and sit-ups worth 15 each.

[Beaver]

I think most of the PT test is fine, even the twice annual test (the Army does it too). The only thing I hate about our test is the arbitrary abdominal measurement. I can run the 1.5 mile in 11-12 minutes and max the push ups and sit ups, but a skinny kid who jogs the run and doesn't max out the strength tests somehow always got a higher score than me. I can PT twice a day and eat 1,500 calories in a day, but I'd still have a stout build.

I know they tried to fix the waist measurement and to me when I'm in shape I'm a 35-36 which would max it, but I'm also not really tall either. That's a pretty narrow band between 35 inches for max and 39.5 inches for a fail. Regardless of how you score it, I think a person's build CAN have a determination on their fitness, but not always. I've seen plenty of stocky people that can run like hell, etc.

I say get rid of the waist entirely, or if they want to keep it, make the waist worth 10 points and the push-ups and sit-ups worth 15 each.

You're losing points because you are slow as fuck. Run faster, more. And I call bullshit on your ability to eat 1500 calories a day.

[Beaver]

At least that kid is out doing something instead of whining about 15 minutes of effort twice a year.

[Guest Crew Report]

You're losing points because you are slow as ######. Run faster, more. And I call bullshit on your ability to eat 1500 calories a day.

Or you could get rid of the bullshit waist measurement since the other branches don't use it and there's a reason for that.

[Gravedigger]

Agreed, the waist measurement is freaking retarded. Give those 20 points to sit-ups and push-ups, and the test would be much better. It's gay when folks are in great shape get low scores because of waist measurements. I had a friend that maxed everything and ran an 8:30...got an 87 because of waist measurement.

That said, you can't deny there are a lot of fatbodies out there that jump on the "I'm in great shape but I just get killed by the waist measurement" bandwagon.

Edited August 31, 2010 by Gravedigger

[HuggyU2]

Doesn't seem like a big deal.

... except for the fact that it we shouldn't be so overmanned in CENTCOM that they have the folks to "monitor" these tests.

$28M for the testing program AF wide, and we need to trim our spending?

[SurelySerious]

I had a friend that maxed everything and ran an 8:30...got an 87 because of waist measurement.

He ran 1.5 miles in 8:30, and lost 13 points on the waist? I'd have to see it to believe it.

Edit: dyslexia

Edited August 31, 2010 by SurelySerious

[capt4fans]

He ran 1.5 miles in 8:30, and lost 13 points on the waist? I'd have to see it to believe it.

Edit: dyslexia

Unless he's about 65 years old, it's impossible to get those numbers. You'd fail the PT test by simple measure of having a 41 inch waist.

Try again and next time, give us the whole story.

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

Agreed, the waist measurement is freaking retarded. Give those 20 points to sit-ups and push-ups, and the test would be much better. It's gay when folks are in great shape get low scores because of waist measurements. I had a friend that maxed everything and ran an 8:30...got an 87 because of waist measurement.

That said, you can't deny there are a lot of fatbodies out there that jump on the "I'm in great shape but I just get killed by the waist measurement" bandwagon.

we've got dudes in my sq who scored in the mid-high 90s and still FAILED because of the bullshit waist measurement.

Even the AF can't come up with a logical explanation for why there's a waist measurement in our FITNESS test. The "official" reasoning behind it is that waists greater than 40" are predictors of future health problems. My contention is that if it's HEALTH based, put that in my PHA when you assess my HEALTH, and let me demonstrate my FITNESS during the FITNESS test when you're assessing my FITNESS.

The PT test is bullshit, and leadership's excessive focus on PT is bullshit as well. We're retiring planes and firing airmen because we're broke, but we're going to stand up an entire new division at the HAWC and hire a bunch of civilians to give freaking PT tests? How does THAT make sense? Our first core value is INTEGRITY, and the service is not only calling our troops liars, but they're spending a LOT of money to do it. I'm not going to say there wasn't some fudging with PTLs, but there are ways to correct that within the system that don't cost a dime more than the way it used to be.

[BQZip01]

... except for the fact that it we shouldn't be so overmanned in CENTCOM that they have the folks to "monitor" these tests.

$28M for the testing program AF wide, and we need to trim our spending?

Surely it can't be that much. "It will save money and is more efficient" is what we were told this would do (according to the AF Times)

[capt4fans]

we've got dudes in my sq who scored in the mid-high 90s and still FAILED because of the bullshit waist measurement.

Even the AF can't come up with a logical explanation for why there's a waist measurement in our FITNESS test. The "official" reasoning behind it is that waists greater than 40" are predictors of future health problems. My contention is that if it's HEALTH based, put that in my PHA when you assess my HEALTH, and let me demonstrate my FITNESS during the FITNESS test when you're assessing my FITNESS.

The PT test is bullshit, and leadership's excessive focus on PT is bullshit as well. We're retiring planes and firing airmen because we're broke, but we're going to stand up an entire new division at the HAWC and hire a bunch of civilians to give freaking PT tests? How does THAT make sense? Our first core value is INTEGRITY, and the service is not only calling our troops liars, but they're spending a LOT of money to do it. I'm not going to say there wasn't some fudging with PTLs, but there are ways to correct that within the system that don't cost a dime more than the way it used to be.

"2" I love that my wing is now adding PT score to their "Rack and Stack" It's not enough that I've busted my ass to get my PME done, upgrade in my weapons system, get my masters, and work my ass off every day I come in. If my PT test show that I've got a 79, and the other dude who may not even have half of that done, but scores a 90 gets the better jobs/assignment preference, then we've totally lost our focus.

"Rant off"

[pawnman]

I honestly think I'm going to try and get my PFT done during the deployment. We've got a few PTLs around the squadron, and I was definitely in better shape after six months in the desert than I am now that I have American restaurants and fast food available and a desire to see my wife and kid for more than an hour a day.

I know, I know...excuses excuses. But in the desert, I was running on a daily basis. I often find it hard to make time for that at home station with all the other queepy shit going on at work and maintaining some kind of family life.

[Bergman]

... except for the fact that it we shouldn't be so overmanned in CENTCOM that they have the folks to "monitor" these tests.

$28M for the testing program AF wide, and we need to trim our spending?

How many months is it going to take before they start adding "Fitness monitors" to our deployed UTCs?

[snoopyeast]

Here's what has me worried about PT tests in the desert. As soon as we have folks start failing tests out there, our OPR bullet commanders will want to have mandatory squadron PT. It's only a matter of time...

At our base, 5 of the 6 civilian fitness testers are fat. That makes no sense and it's the first thing our squadron started to bitch about once they left after briefing us. Why do we have people giving these tests who could not pass it themselves?

[Tank]

So, what happens if a person fails their PT test while deployed? Do they get a 2nd chance 1 month later? Do they get sent home b/c you must have a passing PT test to even be in a deployed theater? Is it all swept under the rug b/c certain squadrons manning is already so low that they can't afford to lose anybody? This should be interesting.

On another note, I also agree that the waist measurement is a crock of sh*t! I can max out my push-up, sit-ups and run a 10:30 mile and half but have a natural 40 inch waist. So, I have to almost starve myself right before the test and do other drastic measures to get down to a 39 inch waist and pass on every PT test. Then you have the airmen who are sticks with no muscle at all who barely pass the push-ups, barely pass the sit-ups, run a 12:00-14:30 mile and half but since they max out the waist measurement, they get a better score than me! TOTAL CRAP!!!!

I do like the Army version; push-ups, sit-ups and a 2 mile run - twice a year and at any time the CC can make a person test b/c he/she thinks they are out of shape and fat. If it works for them, it should also work for us.