Maintain the Standards: Why Physical Fitness Will Always Matter in War

[rangerrebew]

Maintain the Standards: Why Physical Fitness Will Always Matter in War

Nick LoRusso | February 14, 2017
Maintain the Standards: Why Physical Fitness Will Always Matter in War

An important debate (though not necessarily a new one) has been brought to the forefront by two recent articles. In the first, Maj. John Spencer and Dr. Lionel Beehner argue that declining physical fitness in our nation is adversely—and dangerously—affecting our military readiness, and in turn, our national security. This is not a new argument; the authors echo a case made more than fifty years ago by John F. Kennedy just prior to his inauguration as president. In a subsequent response article, Maj. Jahara Matisek disagrees. He concludes that despite obesity rates that continue to grow in America, we have more than enough physically fit potential recruits in the country, and that the real problem is a chronically underperforming educational system that risks America being left without the cognitive fitness necessary to win the types of wars the United States will most likely find itself fighting in the future. I agree wholeheartedly that an intellectually fit society is critical to our military’s future success on the ever-changing battlefield. However, in presenting that argument, Matisek pushes the importance of physical fitness to the periphery, and implicitly understates the vital role physical fitness will continue to play in securing victory in our nation’s future wars.

http://mwi.usma.edu/maintain-standards-physical-fitness-will-always-matter-war/

[EC]

I'm with Major Matisek. Mental fitness is a far higher priority.

Unless someone is actually disabled, I can have them physically fit within 6 weeks. Mentally fit takes years of work.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I'm with Major Matisek. Mental fitness is a far higher priority.

Unless someone is actually disabled, I can have them physically fit within 6 weeks. Mentally fit takes years of work.

There is a "chronically underperforming" educational system in some areas, but the majority of schools are just fine.  For purposes of the military, we have plenty of sufficiently well-educated people.

The physical thing...yes, you can take someone and get them in better shape in six weeks, but it may not be anywhere close to the kind of shape you need to be in for high intensity military activity, including covering distances at a sharp pace while wearing heavy gear, etc..  You cannot simply build up that kind of strength and muscular endurance overnight, and perhaps more importantly, connective tissues take much longer to strengthen.

There are plenty of people who wash out of boot camp because they are too lacking in core strength/endurance to meet standards, despite being given more than 6 weeks of physical training.  It's one thing if we're talking about someone who did have good strength but simply got fat.  Underneath the fat is fine.  But it's something else when you're talking about young men who never developed sufficient muscle mass in the first place.