Just had through from the region TSA, immediate halt to conducting the Bleep Test or similar timed runs until further notice.
This is a result of the Coroner’s report into the deaths of 2 Army candidates.
How similar? That could mess up selection of our regional cross-country team!
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that’s word for word what the TSA has put.
well, direct copy
STOP NOTICE - Physical Testing / Bleep Test/ Timed Runs
All physical testing of Staff and cadets utilising the Multi Stage Fitness Test (MSFT) …also known as the Bleep Test, or timed runs such as 1 ½ mile BFT is to stop
So I’d go with, cross country is binned.
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I suggest you go back to him and tell him to be more specific.
It does seem to include any ACLC pre-nomination-type tests runs though.
It also seems like another knee-jerk for a species which evolved to run. Have the army been beasting people to exhaustion again?
I think it is specific enough - if the test involves the candidate trying to get under a certain time, it is a timed run. If they are just doing their best and you time it, but there is no specific time limit, then it is OK. Anything more would basically eliminate any run where you are not on your own. A cross country should be fine.
We haven’t had any such message on our end, but we do not do MFTs or BFTs.
yes. see my initial post
This.
Surprised it’s taken this long to reach you… We had it a month ago.
Bleep test is binned because the premise is to beat/hit the beeps, not just complete a best effort number of shuttle runs.
I’ve had nothing either.
No sign of it my end.
I think it’s the case linked to sickle-cell, right?
I believe we will see a relaxing again, but the powers are awaiting guidance from the Doc-Supreme.
This story the background?
If your still in the same wing as before, our RC sent it out last month/early this month.
Just remember that there is a big difference between what the forces do and what we do. The recruits in question had to meet a certain medical standard, so had to push themselves harder than you normally would do, and there are consequences if they don’t - if they don’t meet the required standard they will not be able to proceed with joining. If a cadet is too slow at a run, nothing happens, so they are far less likely to push themselves to the absolute limit. That said, it is still important to pay attention to the medical information supplied and make sure they aren’t pushing themselves too hard.
Analogy:
Example 1 - Tell me to run 400m and see how quickly I can do it - I will give it a good go.
Example 2 - Tell me to run 400m and I need to do it in under 1.5 minutes or I will be kicked out of the ACF, and I will push myself to run as fast as possible. This is riskier than example 1.
General gist is that cadets aren’t medically screened and staff aren’t adequately trained.
Anything which potentially causes a cadet to push themselves beyond what they may be capable of (or rather, beyond the point at which they might give up or slow down) by introducing a multi-stage or time-limited element is out.
Personal “best effort” is ok with risk assessing and common-sense monitoring.
This is us aligning ourselves with Air Health policy, not making it up for ourselves.
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Not to me they didn’t…I can’t remember how you know where I’m from though 
Seems eminently sensible and I don’t know why this would ever be allowed. We were told many, many, many years ago we could not do anything like this with cadets, unless you had a relevant qualification, which effectively meant being a practicing PTI or similar, such as a PE teacher or qualified sports coach. I don’t know outside of the some of the leadership courses where this sort of thing is a thing, even then the cadets that do these courses are those who go for runs and are ‘into’ PT in their own time.
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Plenty of Cadets choose to do “fitness” for the physical section of DofE. Doing the Multi-Stage Fitness Test twice a week I sky fills 20 minutes worth of the hour and shows improvement.
Speaking to someone in the RAF they’ve now been told that the bleep test for them is pass standard only and they don’t go to their limit after the same issue.
Which I wager was absolute nonsense… It was around the same time as people started spouting other related bull such as “you can’t give press-ups as punishment unless you’re a PTI…”.
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This is incorrect and has NEVER been briefed out 
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