Originally Posted by Slims

To add to Kirstang's comments:

I went through basic under the old program and my 2 mile run time went from a 17+ minute two mile to a 12:20 two mile at the end.

We used to run nearly every day. It was extremely challenging (for someone fresh to the Army and PT) but resulted in a nearly 100% pass-rate (except for a couple injured guys) and the average score was at least 260 IIRC.

I can tell you that my career has involved running with full-kit through the mountains in Afghanistan at altitude...Cardio is still rule #1. Also, life in the Army proper is not easy unless you are in a support MOS...you may survive basic under the new program only to be broken by your new unit. If you are Infantry a PT score test of less than 270 is frowned upon and you will be expected to run nearly every day. Rightly so.


The Army is lowering it's standards not because it wants to but because it has no choice. People who would not have passed Basic under the old program will now go to their units and be liabilities...ticking time bombs who may not break until they are deployed and others depend upon then to be able to suck it up and perform.