Is the CFT Fair?
Unless you have been hiding under a rock, UA, or are deaf and blind you have heard about the Combat Fitness Test which was recently implemented. You might have even had the chance to run your first CFT unfortunately I haven’t got my first one in.
The day to day, semi-normal life of a female Marine recently ran her first CFT. Reading her post on the CFT and hearing what she had to go through really got me thinking is the CFT fair? Akinoluna points out the the next closet Marine outweighed her by 40 lbs.
Now we know that the CFT is not a scored event at this time but will become a scored event in the future. The CFT is going to be scored similar to the PFT with 3 classes and it is going to be implmented into composite scores and will have an effect on promotions. So if this tool is going to be used for promotions how can we expect a 110 lb person to carry around a 150 lb person. What if there is a Marine that weighs 240 lbs and the next heaviest Marine only comes in at 200? If you are in a small unit it is easy to have a big difference between weights esspecially if there is a petite female or a roid freak gym rat.
Even the ammo can carry seems a little out of whack the more I think about it as well. Carrying two 30 lb ammo cans isn’t going to be something that a 100 lb feamle is going to excel in I mean shit that would be 60% of her weight. At the same rate I would be expected to carry two 60 lb ammo cans for a total of 120 lbs.
I am all for equality and I do believe that all Marines should be required to complete this test. I just don’t think that the exact way it is being run right now I am not sure that it is fair. I guess we will just have to wait it out and see or maybe I will ask General Conway or SgtMaj Kent what they think as they will be on Pendleton tomorrow.
The Marine Corps already believes that the PFT is fair while some Marines do not so I am sure that they will say that this is the best that we can do right now. I just hope the Aki or any other Marine doesn’t get screwed over and get an adverse fitness report or bad proficiency and conduct marks due to the fact they aren’t able to carry a Marine one and a half times their weight.
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November 21st, 2008 at 12:54 pm
This is a great point. I think that there are shortcomings in this CFT as it is described here, although they are trying to have Marines combat ready. Maybe they should do it as a percentage of the Devil Dog’s body weight, and let that lead to a calculation for what they are required to carry? Obviously they will carry as much as they can, but that would even it out between the larger and smaller Marines. They do need to have some insurance that it is fair to everyone who is putting forth a motivated effort. Thanks for the updates.
Jerry
November 29th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Thanks for that post! I’m glad you understood what I was saying. I was afraid people would think I was just whining about having to carry heavy things.
Sidenote: My taller-than-me sister had a totally different problem with the fireman’s carry. All the people close to her own weight were super SHORT! She said she had to squat “almost all the way down and then try to stand up” to carry them! haha…
April 24th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
I understand the equality point, but I think you are missing the larger point. The time is adjusted for females. Do you think in combat that there will be equalizers based on weight and gender? If you can’t handle running with 2 ammo cans, train to it. You get extra time for the CFT to make up for the physiological differences. If you can’t do it period, you may be a combat liability and need to do some soul searching.
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:27 pm
yeah, there is a reason why the current pft is based on own bodyweight and not somebody else’s…
August 1st, 2009 at 8:44 am
I agree with the weight difference. I have always thought it is complete fuckin bullshit that females only had to do a flex arm hang for 70 seconds, while males have to do 20 pull ups. I weigh anywhere from 145-160 lbs, and I have only done 20 pullups once, and I trained for it a lot. I can do a flexed arem hang for about two minutes though. So the PFT is not equal either. The Marine Corps preaches equality, but to be honest, eaqual is equal; meaning, males and females should have the same exact scooring policy, making it equal. I know females that can out PT males by a long shot, so saying a female can’t do this or that is bullshit. The same goes for males, some males can’t do certain things, they just aren’t able. My point is that the Marine Corps has no integrity when it comes to “Equal Oppertunity” and the scoring of physical fitness. Lets be real for a minute…..we are an elite force. Everyone should be graded on the same score, regardless of the sex. If that person male, or female alike, cannot perform, than they should have joined another service. I joined to be the best there is, an elitist, something better than the army. I feel we are just as bad if we score differently. I know females that can do a male 300 PFT and not sweat it. It is not possible for all to do, or even pass, but hey, that would make us a stronger, better corps if everyone had the same standard. If they can’t hack, pack.
August 13th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Well, to start things out Josh, I am going to assume you didn’t excel in school based off of your spelling. I, however, did well in school and I am about to share a secret with you…: Women and Men are built different. Crazy, I know. There is a physical difference in the way males and females are put together. Women have wider hips, for obvious reasons. Men have wider shoulders with more muscle mass than women do. Of course there are always exceptions, like you said. I have seen some dudes that had some junk in their trunk, and some females pt their male platoons into the dirt…to say the least. Do you think a group of “Nasty Female Marines” made up the PFT scoring system?? Chances are good that a group of old men came up with these standards… So trying to make a “One Size Fit’s All” scoring standard is like comparing apples to oranges. It sounds to me that you are more concerned by what people are doing around you, not your own career. Know yourself and seek self improvement, Marine. Congrats, you can max out a flex arm hang…now quit whining and max out your pull ups, Nancy…. How about an “Aye Ma’am!”, something…?
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Work on both and quit complaining… When I joined the Corps I could only do 13 pull ups and I have done as many as 42 in the last little while. The CFT is a different monster but in combat you dont get to choose what happens so deal with it.