First PFT for NROTC-MO

[NJROTC-CC]

DS had his first PFT for the NROTC-MO scholarship this morning. As I mentioned in another post, as soon as he opened his application (not submitted it) on-line, they scheduled the PFT for him. This was well before he planned on taking it and he hadn't finished his training. This morning he had a problem that runners sometimes get. He has been working night shift this summer and is not used to waking up at 5:30 and so during the run he had to take a crap. (That happened one time to him in an orienteering event, where he stopped in the woods, dropped a deuce behind a tree, and still came in 1st.) But this situation didn't help his time. I didn't ask him his 3 mile time or how many pull-ups he did because I don't want to discourage him. On the positive side, he easily maxed-out on crunches (no big deal because everyone should.)

This was a good experience. He told me "Now I know what I have to do." (This kid learns better from his mistakes.) He is already scheduled to take another PFT in 30 days (end of August.) Then, after that, he will still have time to take it a third time by the end of September before the first board meets. I always tell him "Rome was not built in a day." To be a Marine officer he will always need to keep training. He enjoys it. So I am pretty sure he will eventually put up a good score.

Moral of the story: Take the PFT early and often. Don't wait to the last minute to take it for the first time.

 

[kimchee432]

It's so great that he was able to get the first one done so early! Great job in being prepared and allowing enough time for improvement.

 

[NJROTC-CC]

It's so great that he was able to get the first one done so early! Great job in being prepared and allowing enough time for improvement.

We can thank the coordinating officer who pulled him right in as soon as he opened an application. From what I hear, the coordinating officers are NOT always that proactive.

 

[Wahoo Fan]

Not all candidates are offered the option of a PFT retake. This candidates in my area were not given a second chance. If you are applying for NROTC-MO, don’t assume that you will be allowed a redo, especially if you live in a competitive region with a lot of other candidates.

 

[NJROTC-CC]

Not all candidates are offered the option of a PFT retake. This candidates in my area were not given a second chance. If you are applying for NROTC-MO, don’t assume that you will be allowed a redo, especially if you live in a competitive region with a lot of other candidates.

That’s a really good point. I was not too happy when I heard that they scheduled DS’s PFT soon as he opened, but had not yet submitted his application. I only advised him to take it so early because they promised him at his interview that he could re-take it.

I guess the best advice is to be fully trained-up and ready to take the PFT as soon as you open your application because you never know when they’re going to schedule it and there is also never a guarantee of a chance to re-take it.

 

[Herman_Snerd]

Aw c'mon - you're punking us with the parental TMI overshare, right? LOL.

"He has been working night shift this summer and is not used to waking up at 5:30 and so during the run he had to take a crap. (That happened one time to him in an orienteering event, where he stopped in the woods, dropped a deuce behind a tree, and still came in 1st.)"

 

[NJROTC-CC]

That Orienteering story would’ve been a great example of overcoming adversity. I don’t think either he or I thought of that before his interview. And, I’m not sure the question of overcoming adversity even came up. If it ever does, I bet he would be too embarrassed to tell the story.