Vanity - Army Basic Training Fitness Requirements? (posted 8/28/2002)

08/28/2002 | Myself

[freeasinbeer]

Well, I am a bit on the thin side to be sure, 6'2" ~190.

Embarking on my own training, so that in a couple months, I will have a few options if needed (i.e. military, or just be in much better shape).

Who knows what the future holds these days (wars, terrorism, etc) but it sure doesn't hurt to be in shape if called upon to defend our freedom.

[rivercat]

You'll do fine. I was 28 when I went in. Totally out of shape. I barely got out of reception! The first couple of weeks my pushup count actually went down because I was so sore. But, I scored a 278 on my final APFT! Best advice, keep quiet, bite your tongue and do what your told. Oh, yeah, and don't volunteer for anything. AIT and permanent duty are nothing like basic, so don't get discouraged, it goes by quickly.
I went in as a PFC (I had some college), made E-5 SGT in 1.5 years, E-6 SSG in less than 4 years, graduated college, and left the Army at the end of my six year enlistment as an E-6(P).
You should have seen the look on the reenlistment NCOs face when I told him I wasn't going to re-up!

[connectthedots]

Airborne School was easy; and the most fun three weeks I had in the Army. If it wasn't for a wimp USMA cadet who couldn't run off the DZ on the 4th jump, I would have been the honor graduate of my class. I was ROTC at the time.

CTD, cherry jumper.

In the mid 70's, the events were:

1. Run, dodge and jump: I think around 23 seconds was 100 points.

2. Horizontal ladder: 84 rungs in 1 minute = 100 pts.

3. Situps: around 52 in 1 minute = 100 pts.

4. Crab walk: around 19 seconds = 100 pts.

5. 1 mile run in combat boots, not sissy running shoes: 5:56 =100 pts.

CTD always got a 500.

[good1]

To make the top score on the Marine PFT, you must do 100 pushups in 2 minutes, 20 pullups in 2 minutes, and complete the 3 mile run in something like 18 minutes. All of these must be done consecutively. I do not know what the minimum scores for passing are.

[connectthedots]

When I was going through Airborne School as a ROTC cadet in the summer of '75 there was this other ROTC cadet who started to run circles around the formation during the morning run. One of the 'Black Hats' thought the guy was being a smart ass and told this ROTC cadet to follow him on a little run. Well, this ROTC cadet was a distance runner at Weber State (high altitude) and ran the 'black hat' into the ground. It was one of the funniest things I ever saw.

[rdb3]

Those are the better things in the military. I loved it to see rank get "out-ranked." I also loved in when a junior enlistedman bested an NCO.

To bad it didn't happen more often.

[Fred Mertz]

When I was going through Airborne School as a ROTC cadet in the summer of '75 there was this other ROTC cadet who started to run circles around the formation during the morning run.

Maybe we were in the same class. Were there a bunch of Zoomies (USAFA) in your class?

I don't recall my class number, but my DD214 has me Airborne in June 1975. I could dig deeper, but it's no bigee.

re: your previous post...I hated the horizontal ladder, especially the ones with loose rungs.

[RightWhale]

Got 300, but too old, way too old.

[jwalsh07]

When I went to basic, I met a guy from Chicago and we hit it off. He was a wise guy and at the recpetion station he weighed in at about 145 and most of that body fat.

Three months later he was 185 pounds of solid muscle and could run all night long singing, "This is my weapon, this is my gun, this is for fighting, this is for fun."

I still laugh when I think of Private Howard Thompson. The moral of the story is you will come out of basic in better shape than you've ever been. Unless things have changed in these many years.

[TomServo]

Unless things have changed in these many years.

Have you been watching, 'Basic Training' on the History Channel? Follows a group as they go through Army Basic Training. Unless I'm wrong - things have changed.

[jwalsh07]

Oh yeah, one other thing. Near the end of Basic the DI's awarded 24 hour passes to the two top scorers on the PT Test. It ended up being me and this Puerto Rican kid both of us from NY. We went out, do what people do when you've been locked up dry, buttless and womanless for all those weeks and we ended up getting back a couple of minutes late and hung bad.

Drill Sargeant Thornton cured me of this in a very simple manner. I ran until I dropped. To this day, I'm always early. LOL

[jwalsh07]

I haven't but I'll give it a look. Thanks.

[TomServo]

I haven't but I'll give it a look.

I'd really be interested in your opinion on it. Freepmail or respond in this thread. Thanks.

[connectthedots]

When I was a butter bar in a IN (Mech) unit in '75-76, I occasionally displayed a lack in the leadership principle of 'tact' by pointing out that my company commander didn't know what the hell he was doing. I especially remember an ARTEP test in which he refused to believe that a code word to being the final assault was required in a night-mounted attack and that he should go back to BN HQ to find out get the code word. Like the short little prick that he was, he told me to 'drop it'.

Well, we simply get into position to begin the final assault and just start up the ridge; only to be greeted by the Division CO, ADC-OPS, BDE CO, and BN CO.

The Napoleon wanna-be (he was a little short shit) had the most dejected look I have ever seen, along with two USMA grad LTs and the 1SG; and I knew why immediately. I laughed my ass off and proceeded to ridicule them all for being so stupid and arrogant to think that a mere ROTC graduate (who was also an Honor Graduate in IOBC) didn't know what the hell he was talking about.

There was also the time I told the BN CO he was ignorant about -10 maintenance on M113A1 PCs.

I had a short career. Would have been a helluva wartime officer, but I have little tolerance for stupidity and incompetence. Ignorance is curable; stupidity is terminal.

Despite all this, after I cleaned the table on the EIB test, I was the OIC of the brigade's next EIB testing period as a 2LT. The funniest thing I experienced with that was disqualifying an S-3 (operations) Major who didn't have a clue about calling in artillary; scary thought! I laughed my ass off.

I didn't take shit from Senior NCOs, either. Won a lot of money as an LT playing double-deck pinnocle with Sr. NCOS. Told them it looked like an interesting game and thought I could do OK at it. Hey, it wasn't my fault that they never asked what my dad did for a living. He only happened to be a retired Navy Sr. Chief and taught me how to play the game when I was ten and was a master at counting cards by the time I was twelve. hehe. Sr. NCOs get pissed when a 2LT tells them what card they are going to play towards the end of the hand.

Needless to say, I did my four years and got out.

[jwalsh07]

Sure thing.

[connectthedots]

Meant to say '74. I went through IOBC in '75

[Future Snake Eater]

Order is SU, PU, run, no rest. But first sleep 4 hours or less every day for eight weeks.

Sorry to correct you, there, Patton, but it's PU, SU, 10 minutes of rest, then the 2 mile run (there's a 10 minute rest between PU and SU, but you spend that standing in line waiting for your turn anyway). If you didn't have it this way, then you were in the Army a long time before me!

[rdb3]

Last thing. If and when you go, learn to speak from your diaphragm when you sound off. That way you won't be hoarse when you try to talk to your loved ones on the phone on a Sunday.

Got it?

Right! Right! Face!

Forward! Forward! March!

Double-time! Some other time! March!

Learn it. Live it. Love it.

And I'd pay money to see you come out of the CS chamber.

heh, heh, heh...

[connectthedots]

One thing to always keep in mind. That guy you think is a smart-ass just might be a smart-ass.

[connectthedots]

"Stomp you left and drag your right; do it again, it's outta sight."