Two days ago I was assisting our Academy staff with PT evals for incoming candidates. I have never been so disgusted by the lack of SA toward the Academy staff, fitness in general, and the testing process as a whole by today's youth (twenty somethings)! Some examples if I may:
1) Fat, fat, fat. Christ almighty how the hell can you look at yourself in the mirror and see a beer gut....at age 21????!!!!! Then, seeing that gut, make a conscious decision; "oh yeah man, I want to join the Police Department/Military!"?
2) I lost count of the many applicants who stated prior to performing pushups or situps this gem..."how many do I have to do?". Our response: "the best you can.". Their retort: "yeah but, how many to pass?".
3) Another beaut and I swear to God this happened more times than I care to recall: Instructor; "your not breaking the plane! Go down further or I will not count them." Candidate response; "I'm doing them right man! They count!". Instructor response; "Stop, you have failed." Candidate complains to Academy staff that he/she should be allowed to retake the test because...
His grader was unfair! I wish I was making this up folks.
The common denominator I found (in my not so scientific poll during the process) was people who have spent time in the military, or were above the age of thirty were more in tune with what is required of them than their civilian/twenty year old counterparts.
My partner has dubbed these oxygen thieves the "just get by" generation. Sad but true.
Note: 28 percent of the persons tested failed. Average age of failed candidates-26.
Question: Is this a real problem with youth today or did we strike a bad batch of folks? Also, if this is identified as a problem what would be the best approach to increasing fitness awareness without invoking the "nanny state" of government intrusion?
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