Reading Between The Lines: Army Style

I feel for my spouse.  He has worked hard, done what he was told, and still keeps listening to those above him.  He should be rewarded but I think unless we find a loop hole we are doomed to not get him that justly deserved rank award.

Yesterday, being the research junkie that I am, I did some research to try to find a loop hole.  I might have found a technical error that when brought to JAG (Judge Advocate General) might just get J in the door for the board that is coming up.  MIGHT.

This is the data I collected.

According to the MILPER 11-317, its a pdf file, the following changes might have eliminated him from being a candidate.

B. REQUEST FOR WAIVERS FOR TIME IN SERVICE (TIS), AGE, AND UCMJ/CIVIL CONVICTIONS ARE SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY.

D. SOLDIERS IN THE ACTIVE COMPONENT (AC) MUST NOT HAVE REACHED THEIR 28TH BIRTHDAY ON THE DATE OF SUBMISSION OF THEIR OCS PACKET TO HRC. SEE PARAGRAPH 5G.

 K. A COMPLETED COPY OF DA FORM 2807-1 MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION PACKET. THE FORM MUST SHOW THE REASON FOR THE PHYSICAL AND BE DATED. THE FORM MAY NOT BE OVER 1 YEAR OLD FROM THE SCHEDULED SELECTION BOARD END DATE FOR WHICH THE SOLDIER IS APPLYING.
J's physical is almost two years old and he was told they were good for two years but he said getting another physical is no problem.

However, there is some good news too in the new announcement the Army made in its MILPER 11-317.

 J. MINIMUM APFT SCORE FOR ALL SOLDIERS IN ALL COMPONENTS APPLYING FOR OCS MUST BE 240 (80 POINTS IN EACH EVENT) ON ALL TESTS. APFT DATES MUST BE 30 DAYS OR MORE APART. MOST RECENT APFT MUST BE WITHIN 60 DAYS OF SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION TO HRC.

J's last APFT score was over 250 so he isn't in danger of not being accepted for the score on that one for his fitness test.

  E. MEET ARMY HEIGHT AND WEIGHT STANDARDS IAW AR 600-9.

J is far from being overweight.  He is quite fit and muscular to boot.

 Q. GT SCORE OF 110 OR HIGHER.  J's GT score was above 130.  He's smart.

 R. THE ARMY IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN ACCESSING OFFICERS WITH DEGREES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING OR MATH; HOWEVER, ALL SOLDIERS MEETING ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS MAY APPLY. 

J has a bachelor's degree in a science field.  They'd want him because of that, one would think right?

 3. THERE ARE TWELVE CHANGES OR ITEMS OF INTEREST TO THE AC/RC OCS PROGRAM ANNOUNCED IN THIS MESSAGE. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT SOLDIERS APPLYING FOR THE FEDERAL OCS PROGRAM REVIEW AR 350-51, PARAGRAPH 1-7, WHO MAY NOT APPLY.

Now I head over to the AR350-51 Paragraph 1-7 subset M and I find the following:
 1–7. Who may not apply
Individuals may not apply if—
m. They would be over 34 years of age when appointed as a commissioned officer.

That is my loophole.  Think it will work?

He has all the qualifications that they want in an officer.  His APFT score is high enough over the minimum.  His GT score is also way above the minimum.  He has the ideal degree they want.  He is under 34 for another 9 months.  He has time.

But....they won't give age waivers according to the MILPER 11-317.  So is this futile?  I mean does anyone think we have a chance?

Army PT Test Changes

Good and bad news for our Army.  They are changing the physical fitness test again.  In the past the changes have been so minor that most haven't noticed.  Guys were long required to have less time on their run than their female counterparts, more situps and more push ups.  While the run difference never changed the other two categories did slightly over the past twenty years.

Now things are about to get ugly.  For those of you on the Fat Boy program you now have no choice but to get into shape and stay in shape.  No more of the last week dieting before your scheduled APFT (Army Physical Fitness Training).  I think its about time.  A soldier, whether female or male, shouldn't be so fat as to have their uniform stretched to the limits showing their beer belly or rolls of flab.  Often I've been asked if I were an active duty soldier.  I always thought I was too fat to be even thought of as one.  However, since moving to this installation I've seen many a female that is my size or even larger and I wonder.  I wonder how the heck can they pass the APFT? 

There is no need for a soldier to be carrying around that extra weight.  You've got a job to do and you have to stay fit.  Put down that Jethro sized bowl of oreos and milk and grab a stick of celery soldiers because your days of over eating are over with.  There is no way you can possible do well on the new test system with your gut and flabby limbs.

The new APFT is now called an ACRT, Army Combat Readiness Test.  You will be having to do jumps, sprints, rows, slalom runs, balance beams, casualty drags, and ammo carries.

"The key difference is between ‘readiness' and fitness," said Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, the Army's deputy commanding general for initial training.  "It's one thing to be fit … it's quite another thing to be ready for the things we are being asked to do. And in our case, it's becoming a ‘tactical athlete.' "  http://www.military.com/news/article/armys-big-pt-test-changes.html?ESRC=eb.nl 


"Soldiers will be required to hurdle over gates, negotiate barricades, drag a casualty, balance with weighted ammo cans, maneuver through a simulated shooting course, do 100 yards of wind sprints and weave through a slalom course.
And it's all timed."

Good luck to all of the soldiers out there.  Time for you to make healthy food decisions so that you'll be more able to pass this new test.