# CFLRS "RFT Platoon" Facts - formerly know as Warrior Platoon



## 17thRecceSgt (3 Nov 2006)

Well, today found me back in St Jean.  After I took care of some busniness close to the garrison, and while waiting to check in to our place for the weekend, I decided to take a drive around and see what was going on in St Jean Garrison just after lunch today.

And on the 1/4 track in the back part, I saw 'bout a dozen or so troops in issued PT strip running laps on the track.  I will add, they were very SLOW and painful looking laps.  "Ahh Warrior Platoon" I thought to myself.  I noticed the 2 PSP staff out there, so I parked the rig and went over to introduce myself.

Here is the scoop on this, from the PSP staff that are in charge of the PT aspects of their training.

- ALL members of RFT (Recruit Fitness Training) Platoon shall do PT 3 times daily unless medically excused.  Weight training in the morning, followed by cardio type stuff in the afternoon, followed by "core and flexibility training".
- if they are overweight, what they eat is being watched, although no "diet plan" is being enforced.
- anyone who fails the shuttle run on the EXPRES is automatically on RFT Platoon.
- those who are placed in RFT will be retested at the 30 day mark after entry.  If they pass, they get put into the next avail platoon for trng.
- if they fail, the continue for 30 more days.  Same drill if they fail AGAIN, and if after 90 days, they don't pass, they go to PRB.
- I may have misunderstood, but I THINK one of the guys said that "they have the option to VR instead of going to RFT".  Not 100% on this one.
- the PT schedule is carried out 5 days a week mandatory, unless medically excused.

RFT has been stood up for 4 weeks now, and holds 13 VERY out of shape troops in it, which I would say, from being 5 feet away from them all, the oldest might have looked 23.  The heaviest was...well pretty heavy looking for a recruit.  There was also a kid that weighed about as much as my forearm who was complaining on the way by that he felt sick and thought he was going to throw up.  The PSP guy looked at me and said "he drinks and eats shitty food.  He will learn sooner or later".  It was pathetic and weak enough that I wanted to chase him to get him to shut up and run.  Friggin wounded cheesy, you are in PT gear man.   :

Now, I am the first to admit that I am by no means in "fighting shape" cause...well cause I am not.  BUT, even with a back that DVA considers me 10% disabled (physically...), too many years of smokes, beer and pizza, I could not imagine being in the shape some of these kids are in.  I mean...it was the ABSOLUTE slowest "jogging" I have ever seen.  I think one guy was actually going backwards, he was going so slow.   :

The staff also commented that, with the new recruiting process and this new RFT Platoon, they expect it to at least double in the next 2 weeks, and they have been told to expect things to "get bigger" both in the size of the troops placed there, and the size of the platoon itself.  So...mid-Nov, CFLRS expects to have atleast 26 troops.  It will then be like that Alberto V05 commercial of years ago if anyone remembers it..."and so on..and so on...and so on".

In line with the SOP for Officers, NCOs and soldiers to make up their own meanings to acronyms the military uses, I have to admit that watching these people "run" and listening to the briefing of the 2 PSP staff, I couldn't help but think...RFT Platoon...

REALLY FAT TROOPS Platoon.

Ready For Turkey Platoon

Ready for Treadmill Platoon

Sorry, its a (bad) habit.   They should have been more careful with the name, the first one jumped out of my head in .02 microseconds.

Well, thats the scoop on the CFLRS RFT Platoon.  You can catch them "circling" (jogging or running would be pushing it...) the track on Fridays after lunch for PT session #2.  

Anyone who wants to avoid this situation that is thinking or in the process of joining?

Start training.  Now.  Log off.  Go run.  Do pushups.  Throw out the pop and get some skim milk.  Replace fries with green leafy veggies.  

Read the "Nutrition for Fitness" thread posted by Paracowboy.  Learn stuff from it.

Walk 5 km's with a backpack on that has 20 pounds of weight in it.  If you can't, ask someone to start helping you get sorted out.  Stuff like that.

Thats my advice.  The CF is looking for recruits...not RFT Platoon replacements.



MRM


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## Mithras (3 Nov 2006)

> I think one guy was actually going backwards, he was going so slow.



Awesome. That aside I actually think the change in policy to drop physical testing (during the recruiting phase) is a reasonable thing but I would hope that people applying to join the military would at least attempt to try and get into shape before going to BMQ.


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## DVessey (5 Nov 2006)

Mud Recce Man said:
			
		

> DVessey,
> 
> I am not sure but...what else would they do with them?  I would say "likely, yes" in the absence of facts on this...
> 
> MRM



I don't know. How new is this whole 'Warrior/RFT platoon'? I personally don't remember hearing about it when I was at CFLRS (summers of 2004 and 2005).
There were a couple of people on my IAP platoon who failed the beep test miserably, but they just stayed in the platoon and took the test over again. made morning runs that much more fun...


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## 17thRecceSgt (6 Nov 2006)

Well, as I said in the first post, the PSP staff said that it was in its forth week...so lets call it 5 weeks "old" this week   ;D

I am going up again (obviously) to St Jean and now that I know where and what to look for, I will be checking to see just how much growth there is in the platoon...


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## GAP (6 Nov 2006)

Actually, while they should have been in shape, going through the platoon and toughing it out to start basic, is pretty admirable. I wonder how many here that are pointing fingers, would succeed if put in a similar situation. They are doing it, and all the more power to them...good luck.


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## spud (6 Nov 2006)

099* said:
			
		

> whats the real name of the "warrior platoon"
> 
> what they do
> 
> ...



I must say all this is good info for those who may find themselves in the unfortunate above mentioned situation..

potato


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## Michael OLeary (6 Nov 2006)

And we're done here for now.  If new facts come forward, ask a Mod to reopen for a post.  To all, don't be surprised if your post disappears in a cleaning of this thread by a Moderator to leave just the useful information.


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