I get most of the stuff they are haveing them do, but I have not seen anyone lift an ammo can up and down over thier head to many times in combat. Also, did I see a bunch of Marines "skipping"? Is that for the dont ask dont tell bunch or so they can practice for thier time in the Fleet? LMAO. All in all it looks like it will be a good program. I do see that they will give the PFT and the CFT right after. It is gonna be a whole moring to get a company through all this.
Army tested alot of these type events in 1966-1968 time-frame. Most of these were dropped because of a lack of ability to establish standards. An example would be the high step event or the lateral movement event. The fireman's carry was dropped because people like me at 130 pounds were always being volunteered to be carried and invariably the guy I carried weighed 220 pounds. Also, the person who is being carried gets a real pounding in the stomach/chest area. This concept would actually be good for physical training for a unit especially in a competitive type arena, but not very good as a test. Be glad to provide my concept of a PT test for combat soldiers that I prepared as a paper for the Infantry School. Involved running a course with events along it, just like an obstacle course, but not necessarily dangerous so could be a timed event. It was never adopted because it did require some fixed equipment events such as walls, ditches, and climbing obstacles. The Army dropped the existing 5 event AFPT just after I wrote my paper because of the problems of standardizing the horizontal ladder equipment and the run,dodge, and jump (required a ditch and sets of wooden obstacles to dodge.) Also some Posts and units did an outstanding job of making the obstacles and others did not. The Marine concept is very good, just doesn't appear to be amenable to testing to standards (other than Sergeants yelling). Make it a contest between platoons or squads and have peers yell.
Posted Wed 20 August 2008 02:34 AM Hide Post Great video! I wish the Air Force did things like this! It reminds me of cross-fit.
No kidding! I saw a bulky SMSGT female near RAFB. Then again there isn't too much fitness needed to push file cabinets and the extra foot pounds come in handy to torque a wrench.
now I have only spent 27 months in combat but..... I have never done any of these things on a regular basis, I have handed .50 cal ammo to my gunner one can at a time but only about 1 can a minute, and wouldn't it make more sense to do this with your IBA or Dragon skin on?, but hay I am just a dumb Army grunt Platoon Sergeant, good concept but it looks like it was designed by people who still haven't been over there.
Originally posted by Cleatus45: always fun till you get a 30 lb steel box dropped on your face-
Cant you just see all the Marines that will have all their teeth missing in the front, broken noses, or stitches on the chin. LOL If this only lasts for 1-2 years you will be able to tell 15 yrs later which ones were in the Marines while they had the CFT.
I would like to see the Army adopt a similar concept but without physically using another soldiers body as weight. For the Army I think the whole test needs to be performed in Armor carrying one's own assigned weapon. The bigger you are the more Armor you wear so that is fair. I found this was an aid to weight loss in OIF-2 and OIF-4. Yea, that sucks for the M240B gunner or the sniper with the M21 or Barret 50 cal. Pistol shooters will get over on this one, but just remember those of us that are pistol shooters are commanders and CSMs and we are old anyway. The events should be timed to provide individual soldiers for the promotion points in the E1 thru E6 range. A combined or average unit score should be part of the USR turn-in package since a unit is a strong as its weakest members. If this was part on my OER support form you can bet there would be improvement in my unit while I was in command, the same would apply to most other commanders I would imagine. Unit readiness would be assessed on unit scores and there would be minimums designed for CA, CS and CSS units. The CSS units would require lower unit scores but should also receive a sleep deprivation alertness test to asees the individual soldiers training level in stamina. Additionally the CSS soliders need to have an added event that include rapid mounting and dismounting vehicles, since this is how we fight and survive on the road in Iraq. As a CSS leader the sleep deprivation training is critical for a combat ready logistical unit. It sounds harsh but I feel the requirements would reflect the unique role requirements the CSS soldiers have on the battle field. A CSS commander who does not adequetely train his soldiers to perform under the stress of sleep deprivation is doing a great diservice to his soildiers. This type of physical fitness test would also be a welcome change for my NCOs who understand better than I do how soldiers motivation is incrementally associated with training relevance, variety, and collective goals. My CSS soldiers would for the most part love to break up their monotony with really fun combat relevent physical training. I'm not a master fitness training and I spend too much time weight training, so I'm not an exercise physiology post graduate. However, after 4 commands, I do fully value Epsirit de Corps, collective training, and having a little fun while preparing to go to war. Morale plays a big role that is not always looked at by the exercise physiologists.
looks pretty tough but i cant see the guard using this they would lose half there force to heart failure. i saw a guard unit taking there pt test the other day half were squared away the other half looked like hippos on ice. i cant remember ever seeing a realy fat ass marine. maybe this is the reason.
So, does this replace the PRT? Anyone remember that? That was a bit more practical. A run, rope climbe, jump and a bunch of other stuff with rifle, helmet, flack and duece gear.
Me thinks this is done and was developed by someone who spends their time in the rear with the gear rather than most active grunts.
I loved the multiple ammo can hand up. I am guessing that is simulating loading or unloading ammo cans. But, how often is ammo loaded in cans? For us it was always loaded in CRATES,so why not have an ammo crate lift instead?
Just another feel good piece of training to make the pogues feel like they are "riflemen too" LOL Damn I wanna brain the nit wit who came up with "every Marine a rifleman" he had no friggin clue.
I find it very wise and appropriate that Marines lift ammo cans up and down. When I viewed the video and seen them doing it I thought back on when I was enlisted and served aboard the U.S.S. Harper's Ferry. I thought of the vert reps and on reps. Wow. It sure gets tough on a Marine that don't get much exercise to suddenly have to work out loading chow and ammunition onto the ship. Also, when I served In the Marine Corp I was motor transport. I recall delivering many loads of bottled water to infinftry and others (Headquaders in the field). I was more than willing to help unload the dilivery although I was commanded not to in order to preserve my body for safety to operate my vehicle. Well when I did help, I got a good cardio and it helped my train of thought and WOKE ME UP so I could focus. Lifting them ammo cans and carrying them for the appointed distance in the training is very appropriate Marines!
