Physical Fitness test for regular forces is eliminated for acceptance!?

[Muir]

I know personally I am a cadet that wants to join the army. I also know many other cadets that wants to go army. I also know a lot fear or are not at the level where they could pass the fitness test.

Physical Fitness test for regular forces is eliminated for acceptance! You don't have to do a fitness test to be accepted into the regular force! I am so happy to find this out because I was so scared that I would fail the step test.

Read this:
http://www.recruiting.forces.gc.ca/v3/engraph/resources/howtojoin_en.aspx?html=False&bhcp=1

Specifically the part that says:

Note: The Canadian Forces Applicant Physical Fitness Test is eliminated from the selection process for the Regular Force effective October 1, 2006. The Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School will be responsible for assessing physical fitness and will implement a program to assist new enrolees to each an acceptable level of physical fitness prior to commencing basic training. Until further notice, the test will remain in the selection process for Reserve applicants. The Guide to physical fitness remains available for applicants wishing to self-evaluate and increase their physical fitness level.

This seems almost too good to be true, I'm scared now that I'm going to wake up tomorrow and find out this was all a dream!

 

[p_imbeault]

You still need to pass all the required fitness evaluations if I am not mistaken. You should be going into the CF in your best possible physical shape, the more lacking you are in the fitness the harder basic training will be.

 

[Muir]

You still need to pass all the required fitness evaluations if I am not mistaken. You should be going into the CF in your best possible physical shape, the more lacking you are in the fitness the harder basic training will be.

I'm going to a recruiting center soon to double check the details, but my understanding is that there is no physical fitness evaluation until you go to the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School, and then they will assess you and then help you obtain the level of fitness required, all before any sort of basic training. It's like pre-basic training. You can't fail probably unless you are horribly obese or something. For instance, my only fear was the step test, I can walk forever and a day, but speed just isn't my thing. Push-ups and sit ups are fine, I can do more than required for minimum requirements. And so now that the fitness is eliminated, I can get help to get my speed up and be fit enough to join the Canadian Forces with out having to do it on my own. I work better with people helping and encouraging me when it comes to this sort of thing.

 

[TCBF]

BIG MISTAKE.

 This will come back to haunt us.  Not because of the test level itself, but because meeting the level forced people with prior injuries to train to further injury or deselect themselves, thus freeing up a slot for a fit person.  Watch  hundreds of 24 year old deadhead malingerers bilk the country out of a VAC pension now, for injuries they previously had.

I just want to spew.

 

[Muir]

I agree that not ever single person will be allowed. After all, there is still an extensive medical exam and people can still be deselected due to medical reason, such as old injuries that would become worse with training.

 

[ProPatria Mike]

God almighty, what is happening to my beloved forces?

Have we no damn standards at all?

Have our leaders become this desperate?

 

[ProPatria Mike]

Well, Dave, I thought the standard was pretty easy already, ergo my comment about no standards whatsoever. But at least it was something!

I also think that people, specially cadets who are seriously thinking about joining the armed forcves, should start getting in shape the moment they consciously make that decision and build on that fitness through the rest of their careers. This is not comparable to civvy street where there may not be time after the decision to join to lose weight or attain a fitness level. I was one of those fellow probably but, damn it, even though i lost twenty pounds by the time I earned my eight pointed star, I could pass the minimum physical standards    Sheesh, c'mon lads, how hard is it to practive pushups?

Being a soldier is not a job, it is a calling.

Be all you can be is not a slogan, its a mandate.

And with it comes obligations to oneself and to the maxim to never, physsically, become the weak link in the chain of brothers.

 

[ProPatria Mike]

That US Marine aspect is a good idea!

Unfortunately, it strikes right to the heart of the matter if, as I suspect, this program was implemented out of a shortfall in standard accredited volunteers and a politically mandated need to lower the standard to fill the ranks. 

Don't get me wrong, like most former and still serving members, I have long thought the CAF was woefully undermanned and under equipped for todays world.