LCol collapses during BFT - 14 Aug 09

[PMedMoe]

I've never seen anyone actually take more than 1 minute to complete it, but I have witnessed a "fail" on the trench dig - ergo buddy ended up out with me on a second BFT, carry & dig the next month.

A couple of people from our unit went out and walked the marked 100 m in FFO (no casualty) at a quick pace and it took almost a minute.

But we digress.......or these statements should be in the Fitness Standards thread.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Second point. Who here has followed the 12 week work up plan? 

[insert]sound of crickets chirping [/insert]

That's what I thought.

As with the others, perhaps not the whole thing to the letter, but a goodly portion of it none the less. The CO has the discretion to allow substitution of safe aerobic activities such as cycling, swimming, snowshoeing, rope skipping, etc. These can be identified when a member completes the LFC Physical Fitness Standard Evaluation Form. So absolute strict adherence to the Army Fitness Manual is not required. I will also admit to waiting until the test time approaches. Although I can knock off the 13km at any time, I find it's not quite the chore if I do the workup. Do I do as much PT as I should? Not likely, but I try.

As to the trench dig and ammo carry, I'll quote from the book, which I don't believe has been update since this was written.

A r m y F i t n e s s M a n u a l 3
>>
Presently, the Land Force Command Physical Fitness Standard (LFCPFS)
only includes the Weightload March and the Casualty Evacuation. The
additional two tasks will be added in the future and changes in
equipment or resources may require adjustments to the standards.

 

[armyvern]

As to the trench dig and ammo carry, I'll quote from the book, which I don't believe has been update since this was written.

I believe that the LFCO has been amended. Tomorrow at lunch (the only time I get on the DIN these days), I'll check it out.

 

[PMedMoe]

I believe that the LFCO has been amended. Tomorrow at lunch (the only time I get on the DIN these days), I'll check it out.

The one found here states:

Presently, the Land Force Command Physical Fitness Standard (LFCPFS) includes the Weightload March, the Casualty Evacuation and the Trench Dig tasks. Changes in equipment or resources may require adjustments to the standards in future.

 

[vonGarvin]

Moe beat me to it.  The Army Fitness Manual has been updated. 
As an aside, I am actually surprised that the 12 week work-up plan has been followed.  I myself have never done it to prepare for the LFCPFS, but I have followed the manual for just "regular" PT.
Anyway...

 

[Gunner98]

Vern,

I know the trench dig is done at many units.  In Pet, we never did it due to the location of the trenches and the logistics involved in getting people there after the BFT and/or starting/finishing the BFT there (at the old curling rink).  In Kingston, if you did the BFT in the winter, the trenches (which were outside) were frozen.  We were still deemed to have passed our PT test.

Anyone ever see them fail people for taking more than a minute for the casualty carry?

Yes, I have seen re-dos for casualty carries after a suitable rest period.  The trench coffins are now located near Y-101 (1 RCR), which is convenient for them and the RCD.  Non-Bde/Lodger units still do not do the trench dig as a norm.  In Kingston and Valcartier they have an assigned route that ends at the trench coffins with a marked area for casualty carry.

 

[PMedMoe]

Yes, I have seen re-dos for casualty carries after a suitable rest period.

I have also seen "re-dos" if the person has to stop or put the casualty down.  I'm talking a actual failure of the entire fitness test for taking too long (over 1 minute but under 2), even though the task was completed.

 

[PuckChaser]

(Although, I personally prefer [& say to myself every time] "let's just get it overwith already" ...)

A quote I'll always remember which I've heard a lot is "Why would you practice for a kick in the junk?" If your feet are going to be trashed anyways, good upper body PT and some cardio will make the BFT a piece of cake, minus your feet.

 

[Petard]

Getting back to the gist of the thread (somewhat)

I'm not sure what else the training Cadre out in Connaught could do differently, they don't have any way to verify what the unit showing up for testing has done for prep work, nevertheless I think they administer the test as best as can be expected.

They have all kinds of units showing up to do this test, and some are obviously better prepared than others.
Yet the staff do make sure kit is weighed, and the pers do a proper warm up before going. Before the cas-evac they give a demo of the proper lift and carry technique, just in case someone "forgot how" from their work up training. They also make sure everyone has handed in their forms that state they have no medical condition that will preclude them from attempting the test, and that their CO has approved that they take this test.

During the actual test they do have pickets at certain check points, a safety vehicle trails, and a rover does check on progress.

At the end of the march they enforce the wait time before the trench dig then the firemans lift (which I think is about to change to the cas-evac drag). All events are timed, if you bust a time limit you do fail. Over the years I have seen some fail for not getting the march done in time and the odd one for the firemans lift, but this year was the first time I seen someone fail the tench dig (but it wouldn't really be surprising if you saw the way this guy was doggin' it)

In anycase I think they're doing a good job out there at Connaught, cripes knows how this happened exactly, maybe in do course we'll find out.


Glad to hear the LCol is getting better

 

[Jarnhamar]

None of this explains why he was out far enough ahead of the group that people lost sight of him. I have never done, or heard of, a BFT in which anyone was allowed to go ahead on their own time.

I've seen that a few times. Everyone stay together for the BFT. Even seen it where they tried to keep everyone in step  :

 

[dapaterson]

I've seen that a few times. Everyone stay together for the BFT. Even seen it where they tried to keep everyone in step  :

And afterwards did they all gather together to paint some rocks  > ?

 

[Bzzliteyr]

Here's the point I bring up everytime someone tries to get us to walk hand in hand doing the 13km march:

If we can't allow people the freedom to run ahead, why is it we can let people fall behind?  We should all slow down and fail as a group, no?

(me = shit disturber)

 

[vonGarvin]

And afterwards did they all gather together to paint some rocks  > ?

Of course not!  What do you think we are, archaic? 

(We just did forms on the march in slow and quick time and at the halt)  ;D

 

[medaid]

Change arms, trail arms, at the halt present arms, then for the Bn Command to review the troops at the same time. Sounds about right Rambler?

 

[X-mo-1979]

Anyone find it sorta Ironic that a LCol passes out,it makes the news.Does this mean all the people in the back of the truck during the next 13km will get an interview from the sun?

Is there a 13km where someone doesnt tear up a ankle,get dehydrated and thunder in?I can think of a few occasions of cpl's sitting down picking crushed stone off their faces.

Hope he makes a full recovery,and not too many articles are posted around his office when he returns to work.

 

[dapaterson]

Change arms, trail arms, at the halt present arms, then for the Bn Command to review the troops at the same time. Sounds about right Rambler?

But when, oh when, do the Sox get inspected?

 

[PMedMoe]

Anyone find it sorta Ironic that a LCol passes out,it makes the news.Does this mean all the people in the back of the truck during the next 13km will get an interview from the sun?

Is there a 13km where someone doesnt tear up a ankle,get dehydrated and thunder in?I can think of a few occasions of cpl's sitting down picking crushed stone off their faces.

I think it was more because it was in line with the heat/weather warning in the article.  Besides, this is Ottawa. 

 

[dapaterson]

Besides, this is Ottawa. 

Where, as the then NDHQ CWO once reminded me, filling a guard of 50 with Pte/Cpls is hard.  Filling it with Majs would be easy.