armed forces boot camp training

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armed forces boot camp training

Rickshaw
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
San Francisco, CA
Joined: 26 Nov 2004
Posts: 1157

armed forces boot camp training Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2005 10:37 am

I've heard that soldiers-in-training at boot camp have to pass a running test, something like 2 miles in under xx minutes. Anybody know what the actual standard is? Does it vary between the different service branches?

Bricks
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
Chicago
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
Posts: 222

Re: armed forces boot camp training Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2005 11:33 am

I have no idea, but after my first marathon my dad went on at length about how i didn't get any of my running 'ability' from him because when he was drafted for vietnam, they had to run one 10 minute mile and it took him around a dozen tries.

running4fun

Dayton, OH
Joined: 21 Jan 2005
Posts: 9

Re: armed forces boot camp training Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2005 3:19 pm

Yeah, men have 18 min. to run 2 miles and women have 21 min.

Rickshaw
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
San Francisco, CA
Joined: 26 Nov 2004
Posts: 1157

Re: armed forces boot camp training Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2005 3:55 pm

running4fun wrote:
Yeah, men have 18 min. to run 2 miles and women have 21 min.

Wow, that seems like a pretty soft standard. Is that while carrying gear or something?

Then again, maybe it's a reasonable limit. After all, the goal is to prove a basic level of physical fitness, not to make everybody in the army into a top 5K runner.

running4fun

Dayton, OH
Joined: 21 Jan 2005
Posts: 9

Re: armed forces boot camp training Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2005 10:21 am

No, that's just running in PTs... My Brother ran his in 10 flat the first time. I'm trying to break 12min.

Pretender
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
Kansas, OK
Joined: 14 Dec 2004
Posts: 100

Re: armed forces boot camp training Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 12:45 pm

When I was in the Marine Corps (1981-1987) the standard was a three mile run in 28 minutes or less. You earned points by how fast you ran it. To get max points (100), you had to run the three miles in 18 minutes or less. I could never manage that (20 flat was my closest), but I always maxed my pull-ups (20 for 100 points) and sit ups (80 in two minutes for 100 pts). So the max on the test was 300. I could never max my PFT (physical fitness test) because of the 6 minute pace required for the 3 mile run. The standard varies by service, so I can't speak to what the other standards are. Semper Fi.

Rickshaw
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
San Francisco, CA
Joined: 26 Nov 2004
Posts: 1157

Re: armed forces boot camp training Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 1:16 pm

What was the end result of the fitness test? Was there a minimum passing score, and if so, what happened if you failed it?

Pretender
Runworks 2005 5M Racer
Kansas, OK
Joined: 14 Dec 2004
Posts: 100

Re: armed forces boot camp training Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 1:24 pm

If you are in the FMF (active duty Fleet Marine Force) they can kick you out. They take it very seriously. Boot camp is different. If you are in horrible shape when you show up (they assess you right away with a mile run), then you don't even get to join a regular platoon. Instead they send you to the PCP (Physical Conditioning Platoon - or as we call it "pork chop platoon"). If you think boot camp is hellish, imagine PCP where all you do is get thrashed in the sand pit or run until you drop. When you finally reach minimal fitness levels, THEN you get to start boot camp with a regular platton. You were just marking time! Mind you, you would have to be in pretty bad shape to get sent to PCP, but it happened. When I joined at age 17, I had never run in my life and was not involved in sports. I spent my high school years drinking and drugging. Smoked alot of dope, but even with that I didn't have to join PCP. I guess being as skinny as I was helped. I remember thinking at the time "heck, I could WALK three miles in 28 minutes, what is wrong with these people!". Being 40 now, I can relate to that time a whole lot better. It's nice to know that I could still pass the test though. By the way, I don't know if any of this is true anymore. The Corps has changed, but I'm not sure how much.

Machforce1

Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 9

Re: armed forces boot camp training Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 10:34 am

I had a friend who went into the Air Force right out of highschool. He said that the very first thing you did in the morning after rolling out of bed at 5 a.m. was to make your bed and tidy up your area. The next thing you did was run your a** off before breakfast. He said they started off with a mile, but by the end of the 8 week program, they were required to run 5 miles before breakfast, no exceptions. This was back in 1993. I'm not sure how it is nowadays.

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