#166: The Army Fitness Test; A Clear Set Of Standards - Sergeant Major of the Army Mike Weimer & SGM Chris Mullinax

The Army physical training test has long been a measure of a soldier’s fitness for duty and for combat. For decades it’s been used as the benchmark upon which all other physical fitness has been evaluated. And for decades it has been hotly debated, modified and enhanced to best represent the current mission of the US Army. 

SGM Chris Mullinax has been charged with developing the Army Fitness Test; the newest version of the PT test that now replaces the Army Combat Fitness Test and its predecessor, the Army Physical Fitness Test. 

From the Pentagon’s US Army Broadcasting Studio, and with a cameo from Sergeant Major of the Army Mike Weimer, Fran Racioppi sat down with SGM Mullinax to breakdown the changes in the test, why combat MOS’s are being held to different sex-neutral standards, and how the grading scale is designed to enhance and enforce a standard that ensures warfighting is at the forefront of every soldier’s fitness. 

As a career 75th Ranger Regiment leader, SGM Mullinax also shares why America’s national security is reliant on Rangers, and why Ranger School remains the premier leadership standard in the military. 

Watch, listen or read our conversation as SMA Weimer updates us on the Army’s Blue Book and how enforcing the fitness standard is increasing Army readiness. 

Highlights

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:36 Welcome to the Pentagon
• 2:52 Why change the PT test?
• 4:52 SMA Weimer drops in
• 5:33 Distributing the Blue Book
• 6:33 Upholding Army standards
• 10:44 Implementing a Warfighting Culture
• 14:53 AFT now five exercises
• 19:14 Combat vs Supporting MOSs
• 20:43 AFT Evaluation Metrics
• 21:56 Gender-neutral standard in Combat MOSs
• 22:41 Fitness is America’s Advantage
• 26:14 Ranger Regiment Standards
• 29:23 Leadership Through Ranger School
• 32:28 Is the Army Ready?
• 33:43 Preparing the Army for combat
• 35:50 Culture of Will
• 37:56 Daily Habits

Quotes:

• “Changing the PT test is not a new idea. We’re always assessing our physical standards.”
• “I don’t like to start from the minimum standard. That to me is not a place you start any conversation, especially warfighters.”
• “You should be trying to exceed any standard.”
• “You can’t put competition on a pedestal.”
• “Right now we’re crushing retention. Soldiers want to continue to serve.” 
• “This is a hard life. This is not easy. You chose the path that needs a machete.”
• “We exist to fight and win. We are not a jobs program.” 
• "Your ability to recover in between them is the true test of your fitness.”
• “When we have physically fit leadership, it inspires our ranks.” 
• “Our ability to fight and win our wars relies heavily on our fitness.”
• “As I look at my time in the Ranger Regiment..clear set of standards.” 
• “Things have evolved, but the standard is still the same.”
• “The most important part about Ranger School is you learn a lot about yourself.”
• “We’re in a space right now where we’re transforming as an institution.”
• “PT might not be the most important thing we do today, but it's the most important thing we do every day.”
• “We have to be ready. That’s just the bottom line.”
• “Service is hard. It wouldn’t be service if it wasn’t hard.”

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