Unlike the AF and Navy, the Army only requires a PFT. A High School gym teacher, a school coach, outside coach, can complete the PFT, heck sometimes even the school nurse have done them. The AF and Navy have a much more regulated testing system.
This will really get your blood boiling....when my older son applied for the AROTC Scholarship in 2007 (It was a different system then, the battalions selected the scholarships) he had only about 2 weeks to get everything in, he completed his interview and with in 3weeks he had 5 scholarship awards. The application at the time still required a PFT, my son kept asking the ROTC battalions when they wanted it, the scholarship awards came in the mail before my son had a chance to take the PFT. The battalion he accepted the scholarship to told him not to worry about it, they would test him when he got to school, and he never took the PFT.
Now fast forward to my younger son. The process was different, the same as it is today. When my son had his interview, at the same school his brother was attending, the PMS told him to come back in the Fall when we dropped off his brother at school and they would give him an official APFT. Come fall we dropped off the older son and the MSGT gave my younger son the APFT and they submitted those scores. There was a bit of confusion because the run was 2 miles instead of 1 and he had to make a note that it was the APFT, not the PFT. He actually received a call from another PMS that asked why his run was so slow because he thought the time was for the PFT, probably should have just taken the PFT.
The PMS that interviewed my younger son talked a lot about the PFT, he wished they would just give the APFT at the time they interviewed the applicants, but he understood that the sheer volume of applicants the AROTC has made that difficult. This PMS had sat on several boards and was sitting on a board the year my son applied. He explained that because the PFT was not graded my the Army they had to be somewhat skeptical of the results for PU and SU's, the run on the other hand was something they could look at more closely.
I am sure if an applicant took the PFT and scored 15 PU's, 12 SU's, and ran a 10:30 mile the board would look twice at the application. I think Clarkson was just saying to the OP that
His scores as he posted them were not going to make or break his application.
The Army puts a lot of weight on the SAL, they look hard at the Athletics, granted if an applicant has no athletics listed and scores very low on the PFT that could be problem and a deciding factor over another applicant. If an applicant is a 3 sport Varsity athlete and captain of 2 teams, the PFT will probably not sway the board a lot. Take for example:
Applicant 1
4 yr Varsity Cross Country (Team Captain)
4 yr Varsity Track
3 yr Varsity Basketball (Team Captain)
PFT Scores - 45 PU, 56 SU, 5:30 mile
Applicant 2
Rec Soccer 2 yrs
1yr JV Cross Country
PFT Scores - 58 PU, 72 SU, 7:15 mile
According to the PFT scores applicant 2 has a better score then applicant 1. This is where the Army is different then the AF and NAVY. Neither of these tests was monitored on an equal basis. Applicant 1 may have done every one to the proper regulation, applicant 2 may have just cranked out PU and SU's that were not even close to regulation but whoever administered the test counted all of them, being a nice guy.
This is why the way the system is now the PFT, while it is a barometer of fitness, making sure they are not a couch potato, it is not a huge deciding factor. The applicants listed athletic participation carries much more weight.
The USMA has a different test, the test is much more controlled and can fairly be compared to each applicant, this allows for the CFA to carry more weight on an equal basis.
As far as taxpayers money being wasted, I don't think that's really an issue since the Army does not administer the tests, the applicants handle that on their own.
He gets a min score on the PFT, but you are saying he would still get a scholarship because he will be the valedictorian?
You probably not far off with this statement, there have always been a balance with the SAL. An applicant that is off the charts with Scholastics and Leadership and lacking slightly in Athletics may receive a scholarship over an applicant that is just above average in all 3 areas of the SAL. Being much stronger in one area can help balance that applicant if they are weaker in another. My younger son was a prime example. When looking at some of the stats of applicants that did don receive a scholarship there were many that had higher GPA and ACT scores then my son. My son was very strong in Athletics and Leadership which he believes tipped the scale in his favor, he was selected the first board.
