I have heard this being bounded about over the past few months and in a recent post. I am interested to see what people think of the idea.
As we all know the Forces have an annual fitness text of 2.4 Km run or Multi Stage Fitness Test (Bleep test) and now a strength test.
Should the ACO uniformed staff be included in this in some way?
I am in two minds, yes its a good idea as it will stop people in uniform making a bad representation and sets an example to the Cadets they lead. On the other hand it could bar very capable members from supporting the ACO to their full capacity.
Its not the hardest thing or take up too much time to keep fit and does not necessarily require a gym membership. Although I do think the ACO should support its members in some way if it becomes a requirement, much like the forces allow everyone 2hrs a week to do phys during the working week.
I also think ideas could be drawn from the CAP where by if a member is to large for uniform sizes they are to wear an alternative âcorporateâ uniform, much like CIs.
So what are peoples thoughts and how could the ACO support its members?
Apart from fat blokes (and birds) in uniform (not just CFAVs in fairness) looking rediculous and making me angry, surely people need to be fit enough to keep up with the the teenagers theyâre supposed to be supervising?
Itâs no good Sgt (ATC) Bigbottom having a heart attack on the hills when heâs supposed to be fetching help for a cadet whoâs fallen over and broken their leg.
In theory it would be a good idea, but you donât have to look far in the regular services to see those that slip through the net. One particular guin :mad: comes to mind who used to wear wings and dagger to work, having not passed an MSFT in well over a year!! :mad:
Also note the MSFT is every 6 months unless a certain standard is achieved. I believe it was 11.7 on the bleep test, 45 press ups, 45 sit ups, not too difficult, but not everyone can do it.
Well this nail head hit, I very much doubt my employer and other employers in the real world would allow this, plus the majority of military establishments will have kit / facilities. Anything that CFAVs have to do they do in their own time. If they gave me ÂŁ30 a month thatâd see my swims and petrol to get there and back paid for.
I know that the âwell I do this and that and everyone else should do the sameâ mob will poke their heads out of the woodwork.
Well crack on, you obviously have families that are more than accepting, or you run amok over families, or are single.
I saw the letter last week and my initial thought all of the SNCOs around the Corps had better get their act togther first.
Personally, I happen to agree - if you wear the uniform you should at least be able to meet the basic standard of fitness required. I certainly maintain my own fitness level to that standard as I believe it is both a good example to set as well as a duty implied by the holding of a commission.
I appreciate that some people cannot maintain a level of fitness due to an underlying medical condition or other valid reasons - in which case there should be a suitable dispensation route.
That said I am also concious that there is often the case where the more unfit individuals are often highly effective members of staff in their particular field (which probably doesnât require a huge level of fitness) and can be of greater benefit to the organisation than a mega-fit admin vortex/social hand grenade. So yes, I believe there should be a minimum level, but it shouldnât be that required of an operational soldier/sailor/airman. Just sufficient to ensure that those who wear uniform project a credible image of the services.
Iâm far âfitterâ than the majority of cadets
If youâre going to impose a fitness requirement then install a gym in my sqn so I can train for free and agree with my employer that I can have two hours off each day to train for my âVolunteering fitness testâ
On the flip side IMHO there needs to be a progressive cadet fitness programme which slots into the current classification levels. We are after-all training cadets in skills that should help them with a career in the services and exercising is one of those things weâre overlooking!
I think the idea that people need time off or extra time in their lives for phys is rubbish.
Just put on some trainers, go out of your front door, turn left or right and run around the block until youâre back at your front door. Repeat until tired.
Thatâs how I got fit for my initial PJFT (plus doing some press ups and sit ups before bed); it was free and I managed it while regularly working nine hour days six days a week (plus travel) and, at the beginning, attending parade nights for cadets too.
It wonât make you an athlete or gunner fit, but it will give a decent basic level of fitness, which means youâll be healthier, less prone to illness and injury, more motivated, happier and all the other good stuff that goes with it.
Well this nail head hit, I very much doubt my employer and other employers in the real world would allow this, plus the majority of military establishments will have kit / facilities. Anything that CFAVs have to do they do in their own time. If they gave me ÂŁ30 a month thatâd see my swims and petrol to get there and back paid for.
I know that the âwell I do this and that and everyone else should do the sameâ mob will poke their heads out of the woodwork.
Well crack on, you obviously have families that are more than accepting, or you run amok over families, or are single.
I saw the letter last week and my initial thought all of the SNCOs around the Corps had better get their act togther first.[/quote]
Well put
If you look at an average Sqn Cdr who has a full time demanding job, a family to look after and all that entails and a Squadron to lead and manage as well, it doesnât lead a great deal of time to keep in perfect shape. Hence why most OCs seem to be a bit on the unfit side.
Its all very well saying âthey manage it in the forcesâ, but like has been said, stations have free gym facilities and regulars are given time to go and work on their fitness. Because they have to be fit to be combat effective. When I get home from work, I am either straight out of the door in uniform to go to the unit or collapsing in a heap because I am completely exhausted. I imagine it is the same for many others.
A CFAV fitness test is, IMHO, unrealistic, not achievable and it will drive away a huge proportion of volunteers, particularly in upper age groups. Look at what trying to put a fitness element into RAFVR(T) OASC did for intakes of officer candidatesâŚ
Leeroy, I know many people who are in the same position as you. Being slim does not mean you are fit. I know many people who you look at and think they wont past Fitness Test but do, but also they do not make the uniform look untidy.
It seems people think there is a need for a test but not keen on the implications it may have.
Tango_Lima I fully agree with you, I rarely ever go to the gym and still achieve a 10min 2.4km just thought walking out the door and running. It does not take much time and I can say I have only once in a while used my 2hrs a week.
Yes there is the issue of time but do you not think the same thing applies to people in the forces. Not all jobs allow 2hrs of phys a week and others dont bother doing it, they still pass the fitness test with eating reasonably and 1-2 months work before test. Not the advisable way but manageable.
Being fit enough to pass an RAFFT is not hard - remember that the pass mark varies with age/gender. You could spend half an hour a week - five mins warm up, fifteen mins run, 5 mins press-ups and sit-ups and five mins cool down - and youâd ace it. Not only that, but youâd also be healthier, live longer, look better and feel better!
I donât really think that a mandatory test is workable. For starters, what will the penalty for failing be?
I think that there should be a standard, optional - but strongly encouraged - fitness test for all ranks. For starters, it would mean that activities which require a level of physical fitness would have a means of filtering! It would also form an optional part of my completely re-invented classification syllabus, but thatâs another topic entirely!
I donât think consequences for failing would be much of an issue, it could be locally managed with an appropriate warning system with Wg and Rgn with the ultimate consequence of limiting the claiming of pay for days or a Fitness rate of pay and a non-fitness rate of pay. For Sqn OC and WSO, potential removal from position. The baring of wearing uniform. I think there are many options of incentive.
It seems to be many issues, another one to the mix would be just simply running the test.
Run it at Wing sports events. Those who need to do it must attend at least one in a year to complete the test. Only needs a PA system/portable speaker for the MSFT.
[quote=âredowlingâ post=1882]
There is one being developed by RTO North apparently. See the minutes of the last RTOs meeting on Sharepoint.[/quote]
Where was my 2 hours a week? Does this mean the RAF owes me all that lost time??
Oh wait I forgot the 2 hours forced phys on fridays to sober the sqn up :evil:
2 hours phys isnât too much to ask to be honest, thats 30 mins jogging/cycling/walking/whatever you want 4 nights a week, hardly disruptive. The majority of guys i worked with would go home and phys in their own time as well as the sqn/flt phys weâd do.
Sorry, but all this banging on about âIâve got a full-time job, wife, kids, family, blah, blah, blah, cry, cry, cryâ is just bluff and smokescreen. The RAuxAF manage it so why canât ACO staff? Auxiliaries donât get time off work, they fit it in around their job, military training and family life.
There is simply no excuse for the fat knackers in the ACO to duck out of fitness testing and that goes for SNCO AND VR(T).
As for the consequences of not passing? Make it part of the promotion criteria.
