Soldiers are expected to take the “ACFT” or “Army Combat Fitness Test” twice a year. It is usually colloquially shortened to “PT Test” (PT being “Physical Training”) for brevity’s sake, since “ACFT” is kind of a clunky term to toss around, especially when complaining.

So, when you’re on a deployment, even a relatively “chill” deployment, having to take an ACFT or “PT Test” is “at the commander’s discretion”. In other words, it is technically optional. Some troops get the impression that if a commander insists on having a PT test during a deployment, then the commander is basically being a jerk to them on purpose.

We had our usual bi-annual PT tests while we were in Kosovo, and while I did find it mildly annoying (mostly because it soaked up some of my rare weekend time off) I have to be fair and admit that there was no pressing need to not do it. It kept us in compliance with fitness requirements and while we were in a “hazardous duty area” we were not in any actual, direct combat.

Still, there was some griping and a few people tried to have the PT test nullified. A half-hearted effort was made to get our medical personnel to advise against the PT test by taking the angle that it raised the risk of unnecessary injuries. While there was technically merit to the argument, we had also had competitive events like the Norwegian Ruck March and the Dancon, or Danish Army contest ruck march, in which many of us participated. I myself attempted the Norwegian march and many people got blisters and other minor injuries as a result of these events. We continued to work, frequently just with temporary minor light duty or “soft shoe” medical waivers called “profiles” which allowed us to stay on mission without impacting readiness.

So canceling the PT test due to the possibility of minor injury was a bit of a long shot that didn’t gain much traction.

So was I salty about the PT Test? Nah… maybe just a bit of MSG, or Monosodium Glutamate. So not exactly salt, but… certainly not sweet, either.