Blasphemy: Article advocates afternoon PT

[IntelTrooper]

Different realities -- though I admit a lot of loud folks try to keep the Boot Camp or Basic/AIT mentality going. Quite wrongly in my view.we can disagree. We can also disagree strongly on that. If they're failing to do what they should, that's the first line leaders fault -- if you don't hold him or her responsible, you end up doing the fixing yourself. That, to me is micromangament, not leading.

In Afghanistan, my team did PT separately. There was an expectation that everyone needed to be doing it 4 or 5 days a week, and the rest was up to the individual. Everyone, including our young, "not responsible" soldier, significantly improved their fitness because we were holding each other accountable and given the opportunity to challenge ourselves beyond what could be accomplished in a PT formation (my PT scores were always lowest in basic/AIT). Incidentally, that's basically how the whole FOB conducted PT, including a GPF company, and they all improved their fitness over the course of the year.

I think the key is to realize that if individual physical fitness is the goal, then PT formations are not the way to accomplish that goal. I don't see Olympic athletes or body builders standing in PT formations every morning. If the goal is something else, like someone's idea of what unit cohesion should look and smell like, well, I guess there's no arguing with that.

[Ken White]

I think the key is to realize that if individual physical fitness is the goal, then PT formations are not the way to accomplish that goal.

I could even make the point that the way most units do it, it's counterproductive...

If the goal is something else, like someone's idea of what unit cohesion should look and smell like, well, I guess there's no arguing with that.

Heh. I've long believed that unit cohesion lies in the rank of the beholder. PSGs have a different view than even their Sqd Ldrs, Co cdrs and 1SGs have a different outlook, the folks at Bn/Sqn even more different. All that is aimed at mot units, there are a few exceptions but they're rare.

The senior leadership believes they're fostering unit cohesion by rotating units instead of individuals -- and that is an order of magnitude improvement; it's just a shame the Personnel system hasn't kept up -- they still try to do their things by, with and to individuals...

Mike F: All the foregoing not to disagree with your contention, I'm sure it's correct. My point was that it is very difficult to do stressful things in garrison and shared real stress, not hassles or formations, builds cohesion.

Umm, yes, that does mean that I believe PT as it is generally today construed and conducted is more hassle than benefit.