New P.A.S.T standards

[Kheenbish]

I just read on the SOWT recruiter FB page that the PAST test is being reevaluated with new standards possibly by the end of the year, that has to do with woman entering the BA career fields. Does anyone in the know have any knowledge of this ? And are they increasing the standards or making them easier? which would be BS. Much appreciated.

 

[DA SWO]

I would guess making them easier.

 

[Red-Dot]

It would seem counterintuitive to make it harder.....BUT I have seen some pretty stupid things. When females are introduced into the mix, logic is out the door.

 

[Kheenbish]

When females are introduced into the mix, logic is out the door.

That was my line of thought also. Since I also noticed the mention of having a BA pt test for all those in the BA AFSC's, which seems like it should of been in place awhile ago.

 

[Red-Dot]

That was my line of thought also. Since I also noticed the mention of having a BA pt test for all those in the BA AFSC's, which seems like it should of been in place awhile ago.

We used to go with the Army PT test. We would always in addition do pull-ups. It would not surprise me to see this type of combo return.

What is your interest? Are you considering one of the BA AFSC's?

 

[Johca]

It would seem counterintuitive to make it harder.....BUT I have seen some pretty stupid things. When females are introduced into the mix, logic is out the door.

Not necessarily. Back in 1989/90 I had some official involvement with Coast Guard establishing its gender neutral standards for those performing Helicopter Rescue Swimmer duties. Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer is actually a duty position rather than an AFSC, MOS or NEC. Current standards regardless of gender to perform these duties are:

Any RS, whose operational training requirements are not met, is not permitted to function as a helicopter rescue swimmer and may forfeit SDAP. An RS that has not maintained their physical fitness due to leave, TAD, night check, medical grounding, etc., for 30 days or more must pass the monthly physical training (PT) screen exam prior to performing the duties of an operational RS.

Any RS failing to complete the monthly physical training screen exam due to leave, temporary assigned duty (TAD), night check, medical grounding, etc., is not authorized to stand duty or deploy as an operational RS until the physical training screen exam is completed. If grounding exceeds the 15 month period of the RS’s current standardization check, they must complete an RS standardization check to include physical training screen exam with a local Flight Examining Board (FEB) member or an ATC Mobile evaluator prior to performing the duties of an operational RS.

Any RS that fails the monthly physical training screen exam for three consecutive months will be placed on performance probation IAW COMDTINST 1000.6

Physical Training Screen Exam Standards. (Table 3-2)

Shoulder Width Push-ups --- 50 (2-minute time limit)

Sit-ups ---- 60 (2-minute time limit)

Pull-ups --- 5 (No time limit)

Chin-ups ---- 5 (No time limit)

Crawl Swim --- 500 yards (12-minute time limit)

Underwater Swim --- 25 yards, repeat four times with 60seconds rest between swims

Buddy Tow --- 200 yards

 

[Johca]

We used to go with the Army PT test. We would always in addition do pull-ups. It would not surprise me to see this type of combo return.

The critical essential information lacking from the "used to go with" is no effort was made to implement a scientifically validated official occupational or combat mission ready or mission ready requirement.

During the period from 1999 to 2006, several variations of mixed Army Airborne and Army Ranger fitness test standards were proposed for TACP but never officially approved or implemented. The current TACP PAST is only a course requirement that was only recently approved. Even the AFSOC-TACP fitness requirements lacks official implementation compliance IAW public law imposed US Congress in 1993.

Special Operations Weather Teams were nothing more than a few Combat Weather Team duty assignments that were parachutist coded prior to AFSC 1W012 being established 2009. The fitness standard was also the Army PT test or perhaps the Ranger School fitness test standard after 1995 for the Ranger and Special Forces supporting duty assignments. Nothing official unfortunately. To justify using PJ-CCT PAST (1988-2013) standards as much of the PJ and CCT occupation description and core tasks was used as much as possible. However no effort was actually made to mission need and actual utilization validate the standards. Thus some BA AFSCs are on weaker justification than others to establish tougher standards, particularly those that had no officially validated and implemented screening and selecting physical fitness requirements or occupational classification fitness requirement prior to 1993 (PJ-1947, CCT-1988, SERE-1996, SOWT-2009, TACP-unofficial 1999-official 2006, and Air Force EOD-2011).

If you look at current entry classification PAST standards, implemented in 2014, the PJ requirements increased in difficulty while the standards for the others did not. Current 1.5 mile run requirements are: PJ-9:47 , CCT & SOWT-10:10, TACP-10:47 and SERE & EOD-11:00. Current 500m swim requirements are: PJ 10:07, CCT-11:42, SOWT-14:00 and 200m SERE-10:10. No swim requirement for SERE & EOD.

 

[Kheenbish]

We used to go with the Army PT test. We would always in addition do pull-ups. It would not surprise me to see this type of combo return.

What is your interest? Are you considering one of the BA AFSC's?

I'm considering a few, but I've been meeting with some guys at my base's STS to figure what I'll actually be interested in. I don't want to pick a career because the word "special" is in or associated with it.

 

[AWP]

I don't want to pick a career because the word "special" is in or associated with it.

Slow down, Sparky, slow down. You mean you're looking at the job description and duties rather than some cool guy factor? That almost makes you a Renaissance (air)Man in today's world.