Fitness Test Discharges

[I`m Ron Burgundy?]

Doesn't bother me in the slightest. Had to do exactly that when I was detached to work with the army.

I've done it too whilst detached but that seems to be more acceptable whilst on det - you just do what you have to do on ops. But would you be happy being brought in at say, 0630 for 3/4 days a week at your normal unit?

Not wanting go on, but i'm genuinely interested in the answer now and would this be acceptable to anyone else on here? I ask because the powers that be now place a greater emphasis on feedback from the shop floor through questionaires and the like, and if this was seen as a favourable option I would think it would be easier to bring in without so much opposition?

ps mods if this is too far off topic I can start another.

 

[Sammy]

To answer the question - being told to be in at 0630 3/4 times week for PT? - No, this would certainly NOT be acceptable to me. I have passed my test and if they started doing this I would BI*CH about it non-stop. Granted, I wouldnt be able to do anything about it but it would be the first thing that RAF have done in the past 10 years that would make me seriously think about if I really wanted to stay in, and thats saying something. Perhaps that would be their secret motive?

I really dont think it will happen though, thank god.

 

[I`m Ron Burgundy?]

To answer the question - being told to be in at 0630 3/4 times week for PT? - No, this would certainly NOT be acceptable to me. I have passed my test and if they started doing this I would BI*CH about it non-stop. Granted, I wouldnt be able to do anything about it but it would be the first thing that RAF have done in the past 10 years that would make me seriously think about if I really wanted to stay in, and thats saying something. Perhaps that would be their secret motive?

I really dont think it will happen though, thank god.

Granted I posed the question as a 'worst-case' scenario, but I am interested as I get the general feeling that most people would rather do it all before work rather than after if it had to be done outside the working day. I know of a few places that have at least an 0700 start...

 

[Lanckielad]

I know of a few places that have at least an 0700 start...

Off TopicMe too, I know of one place that does 'Compulsory PT' 0715 - 0800 then starts work at 0900 two mornings a week. Interestingly RAFFT failures 'do their own thing' whilst the rest of us with pass chits get beasted round the gym by a screaming skull, not quite sure of the logic there...Off Topic

 

[busby1971]

That's your opinion

That's your opinion

Oh yeh Busby, that post was about the fact that we are potentially going to have people kicked out of ATC (at short notice) due to recent changes in standards by the hierachy. (see any similarities cropping up here?)

Not a boring, repetitive bleat about the Fitness test (yet again).

I think that it is more relevant to the OP's post than some random drivel about "turny things".

Try to keep up.

Well that's your opinion and as somebody else has mentioned your post then it probably is more relevant than my post about the fitness test in a fitness test thread.

Trying to keep up

 

[Muttley]

Frankly, being kicked out for failing the fitness test is the least of my worries.
Our Trade management have introduced a brand new standard out of nowhere that will require all Air Traffickers to complete all their tickets, on posting, within 3 months or they are out.
We are also now required to pass a Professional Knowledge examination every three years, or you are out.
It doesn't matter if you're a WO with 25+ years under your belt, failure to endorse in the timescales set at a new unit, will mean you are out on your ear.
Might not sound like much of a problem to many who nothing about ATC, but to us, it's a huge challenge for Unit training and standards teams, Local Examining Officers, SATCOs as well as individuals throughout the country.
If we survive the SDR and the copius amounts of fresh boll@x our managment seem determined to chuck in our way, I won't be going out because of a fcuking shuttle run.

You're starting to stray off topic there Fella! Has AOBM turned up the heat a bit high in the ATM kitchen for you?

 

[rumblefish]

Off Topic
Gilbert Blades couldn't win a one-ticket raffle - the man's a complete myth.

You may want to do your homework on that one!

 

[Hammer]

The fitness test has been in long enough now and not enough perople took it seriously as there was never any real penalty. I dont think anyone when they join up are shocked that they have to be fit. Its the military, our fitness levels are poor and embarrassing in comparison to the Army.

Its not too much to ask for someone to run for 10 minutes and do a few press ups / sit ups. There are plenty outside desperate for work.

 

[MontyPlumbs]

The fitness test has been in long enough now and not enough perople took it seriously as there was never any real penalty. I dont think anyone when they join up are shocked that they have to be fit. Its the military, our fitness levels are poor and embarrassing in comparison to the Army.

Its not too much to ask for someone to run for 10 minutes and do a few press ups / sit ups. There are plenty outside desperate for work.

The only people I've seen outside that are desperate for work are College and University leavers. They will most likely join, have fun for three or four years and then leave once they have the relevant experience.

I'm really not convinced about this whole 1920s Depression thing; I've seen very little evidence to support it; and I don't exactly live in an affluent area.

 

[Humble Scribe]

I read only the other day that 87% of non-commissioned personnel and only 72% of commissioned personnel had taken the fitness test. Morally, could a CO elect to discharge an airman because he consistently failed the fit test, if he failed to ensure that all his Stn Execs had done the same?

 

[muttywhitedog]

I very much doubt it. The individual at my unit who lost his job this week had another one to walk into so he wasnt overly fussed - in fact he'd tried to PVR and leave at 6 weeks notice with his head held high, but the uber-echelons wanted their pound of flesh and continued the admin discharge route!

Once we get round to someone who really wants to stay in getting kicked out, then I think we could see legal actions and freedom of information requests being banded around to name & shame those who are still wearing the uniform but getting away with not doing it because of their rank.

 

[muttywhitedog]

I read only the other day that 87% of non-commissioned personnel and only 72% of commissioned personnel had taken the fitness test. Morally, could a CO elect to discharge an airman because he consistently failed the fit test, if he failed to ensure that all his Stn Execs had done the same?

Slightly off topic, but I read somewhere that CCS was optional for Wg Cdrs and above.

Obviously once they reach SO1 level, they develop an immunity to CS Gas - probably due to the amount of bullsh!t they have to breath in on a daily basis from their Sqn Ldrs & Flt Lts!!!

 

[mememe]

Slightly off topic, but I read somewhere that CCS was optional for Wg Cdrs and above.

Obviously once they reach SO1 level, they develop an immunity to CS Gas - probably due to the amount of bullsh!t they have to breath in on a daily basis from their Sqn Ldrs & Flt Lts!!!

At my small unit the Stn Execs jump on the band wagon and get themselves downgraded, they then play billy big bollox and chase people who are out of date, quoting chapter and verse, threatening s/ojar negative comments. The should be ashamed. Apparently 94% of the RAF have been tested according to CAS.

 

[PTR Hoar]

i've actually had a look at the AP that has all the gen for the fitness test. Since i have never once seen a fitness test done entirely in accordance with said AP surely thats a get out of jail free card right there?

Or is doing things IAW something just for us techie types? Genuine question.

 

[I`m Ron Burgundy?]

i've actually had a look at the AP that has all the gen for the fitness test. Since i have never once seen a fitness test done entirely in accordance with said AP surely thats a get out of jail free card right there?

Or is doing things IAW something just for us techie types? Genuine question.

How does it differ? I mean the fitness test not the difference between trades.

 

[PTR Hoar]

Well for one any fitness test i've done you have a pti at either end of the gym watching everyone, according to the ap the test should be done in two groups with each runner having a single person record wether or not they make each beep, not two pti's watching everyone.

 

[Tin basher]

To answer the question - being told to be in at 0630 3/4 times week for PT? - No, this would certainly NOT be acceptable to me. I have passed my test and if they started doing this I would BI*CH about it non-stop. Granted, I wouldnt be able to do anything about it but it would be the first thing that RAF have done in the past 10 years that would make me seriously think about if I really wanted to stay in, and thats saying something. Perhaps that would be their secret motive?

This is a rumour site and I have been known to have the odd cynical moment so try this for a theory. Bear with me, UK Ltd is skint, the government need to save Billions some how. The armed forces pension bill is a rising cost on the public purse. The problem is how to reduce the forces numbers, and therefore shrink the wage bill, yet not pay redundancy or pensions to leavers and to do all this without upsetting the pro forces British public. So lets look to raise the fitness test requirements and lets also sell it as a fitter leaner, better, more cost effective military machine as a punter what's not to like. Daily Mail readers puff their chests out in pride as the British forces attain fitness standards not achieved since days of empire, Sun readers enter competitions to win a day at an RAF gym etc etc. But in reality what happens is the government get the size of force they want and bin those who can't reach the new levels. If service numbers remain to high simply crank the test levels up to suit.

Cynical me surely not

 

[Stevienics]

I like it, but are not establishment numbers at every level set in advance, and concurrent with pre-determined needs?

Wheezy geezer gets the heave ho, sleek god-like geezer takes his job - net manpower result = zero.

 

[Cornish_Pikey]

How have the levels changed since 1994?

How have the levels changed since 1994?

Does anyone have access to the levels and how they have increased since 1994?

 

[BJW]

Does anyone have access to the levels and how they have increased since 1994?

I recall as a 34 yr old in 1994 I had to get to level 6.02, as a 51 yr old I now have to get to 7.07