OK, I've been quietly reading this string over the past few hours and can honestly say I'm thankful people out there are supportive of changing the CF culture to encourage fitness. It's been a topic that's been bugging me for quite some time.
Before I go into my solution to the problem, I should probably let people know my background. Joined the PRes as an Infantryman in 94, went through the old RESO program from 98-00 (minus Ph IV, as it wasn't offered), taught at LFCATC Meaford (conducing PT with the course BTW), went back to complete Ph IV as a "fat Captain" (well, I wasn't really fat but I liked to joke about it with my peers), went to Bosnia, and then CT'd to the Reg F as an INT O. I now work in Ottawa at NDHQ, and have had the displeasure of, yes, watching Snr Officers not make it to stage 4 of the Express Test.
An effective PT policy, IMHO, is predicated on the following:
1) Creating a culture of fitness within the CF that is balanced, achievable, and combat-oriented, regardless of trade;
2) This culture needs to be supported by the Chain of Command, with encouragement outweighting sanctions (but sanctions being used when needed); and
3) Supporting our soldiers with proper medical and fitness advice.
Point 1. Pretty simple stuff really. We have to drop the crap and acknowledge that combat will make physical demands on everyone, from the light infantry soldier to the clerk in the rear getting shelled. Any PT standard created by the military has to acknowledge this fact, and the standard should as much as possible reflect the situations encountered in combat. In my opinion, any PT standard needs to combine ruck marching, running in kit, muscular strength as demonstrated in a combat-oriented task (like diggin), and traditional push-ups/sit ups etc. From what I understand the new PT standards slowly being implemented are fairly close to this vision, and a welcome development.
Point 2. We have to acknowledge a few truths however in achieving the above. First, not everyone will achieve the "light infantry" standard. Sad but true. But everyone is a "soldier" and should be fit to fight. People not fit to fight, regardless of trade, rank, or position, should be given some form of warning and a realistic period of time to sort themselves out. People who are very fit or who put in an effort to get fit should be held up as examples and positively rewarded for their efforts with points towards promotion. If knowing French very well can get you points towards promotion, why not fitness? I'd even go so far as saying that if someone can't speak french but is very fit, why not compensate the lack of bilingualism points with fitness points? All within reason of course...
One idea that people will probably freak out about on this forum, but which I'll throw out there, is handing out a medal for the top echelons of fitness in the army. It would be incredibly difficult to get, and organized along the same lines as the Queen's Medal for Champion Shot. Only give out two per year with one to each gender, Reg F or PRes. I have no idea how it would be organized, but I would envision something like a super mountain-man event organized at the national level combining a series of combat oriented physical fitness events.
Point 3. This is probably my most important point. The others above are generally in agreement with everyone else. I think we do an awful job in the CF of providing medical and fitness support to our soldiers. I give my case in point. I used to get bad IT band problems and the odd case of ankle inflammation. Being a dumbass, I'd just soldier through it. When I did report it, they'd give me Ibuprofen and send me on my way. Then, about a year ago, I went in for a physio appointment for a broken arm and noticed a pile of shoe inserts being delivered. I casually joked with the physio guy, and he took it on himself to give me a foot inspection. Well, turns out I've been overprinting for years. I was issued a pair of insoles and went back to doing PT. You know what? It felt damn good. I could run forever. I used to feel a little stiff after runs but with these insoles, I don't feel anything after a long run. I later learned the US Army, upon joining, conducts a foot and body mechanics inspection of all new recruits. The CF should do the same during all medicals to ensure that PT problems don't start earlier. If someone fails to meet a PT standard, a medical/fitness inspection should be immediately ordered for the member to make sure it's not the result of a problem out of their control that can be fixed with a simple $10 piece of plastic. Likewise, if someone's having problems with body weight, we should have them sit down with a dietitian and perhaps even provide them with advice and counselling. We don't do stuff like that. Our medical system is geared to fixing broken people rather than prevention, and if we want to help people push themselves physically we need to change that to avoid creating fitness "problem kids" over the long term.
Will this cost some money? Sure, but you can't have an Army on the cheap despite what past governments have been trying to do. Just acknowledge it, pay it, and carry on.
Now, as for the unfit Locals and Cols floating around who grew up on the "step test" mentality. Same deal. Medical inspections to ensure their bodies are up to the task. A grace period to allow them to train for the standard (along with everyone else). If they fail to achieve it, a warning just like everyone else and counselling. If they don't improve after that wake-up call? Well, CF members have access to internal Public Service employment calls now, which is more of an advantage most get looking for a job.
Now, the compensation issue. I think this issue is always blown out of proportion. Reg F/Cl B/Cl C soldiers, as long as they are conducting unit PT or stuff as prescribed on their exercise prescription form are covered. Hold onto those things like the holy grail. The Army Lessons Learned Centre has an excellent Pam on that stuff. As for class A reservists, I'd simply pay them a small bounty per year to cover "physical fitness expenses" and have them fill out an exercise prescription to cover them for pension purposes. By accepting the money, they acknowledge that they're to exercise on their own time. If someone who accepts the bounty subsequently fails the standard, their pay is docked for the value of the bounty and the Physical Fitness counselling procedure started. That way no one can really complain they're "not being paid" to do PT.
Well, that's my rant on the subject. I too get annoyed when I see members in uniform neglect their duty by allowing themselves to become unfit. But the best way to get those people out of the service is to cut off their argument that their sedentary lifestyles are the result of medical problems by being proactive in providing exercise and medical advice, while rewarding those people who go out of their way to be examples to others.
