Daily Lessons from Life 23 July 2014 - New IPPT will have three stations; Standing Broad Jump and shuttle run scrapped

MH17 Updates - The rebels handed over 84 victims' bodies short of what they had promised to deliver while the Dutch mourned the 1st arrival of their dead today with a National Day of Mourning.

Side news: A Taiwan internal flight had crashed under bad weather with reported 46-54 dead! Is this a year of air disaster or what!!

"New IPPT will have three stations; Standing Broad Jump and shuttle run scrapped - The Straits Times 23 July 2014

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced the changes in his Facebook page on Wednesday in a post titled "New IPPT - Simpler and Better".

Here is his Facebook post: The Army has completed their review for the new IPPT. Instead of the current five, there will be 3 stations - 2.4km run, sit-ups and push-ups. This new format will make it simpler for NSmen to train for IPPT, and for more to pass.

Many other militaries use 3-station tests to keep their forces fit. We will also have more age bands and a new scoring system. Instead of a pass mark for each station, points will be awarded and the combined points from the 3 stations will be used. This way, soldiers can make up through more sit-ups, if they are weak in push-ups and running, or vice versa. There's a limit to how much you can make up, but I like this counting system because it encourages NSmen to max out on each station and it plays to the individual's strengths.

Pass Mark? For NSFs, Regulars and Awards, about the same as before. For NSmen, some adjustments based on past data. Even though the new IPPT is simpler to train for, it will still take effort and regular exercise to pass. And that's the idea - keeping healthy and fit should be a lifestyle and it's good for you.

We expect more to pass the new IPPT, as a result. Look out for training apps and programmes to help you. Chief of Army Perry Lim will provide more details tomorrow."

Some of my friends are commenting that we are going soft all over the place! The government seems to be appeasing Singaporeans whenever they complained or, more politically correct to say, provided feedback on changes to be made!

Lessons for me are:

1. if the government is really just appeasing any complaining Singaporeans to make things easy or easier, it is NOT a good trend. While public feedback, honest and open ones, are welcome, push-back may be necessary if the reasons for asking for those changes demanded are very strong and valid. Personally for me, I have to agree with some of my friends that IPPT has been around for so long and we are changing it so that MORE people can pass it does not seems right!;

2. having said that, if the MinDef has done a lot of researches and studies and deemed that the old 5 stations IPPT is NO LONGER valid for modern days soldiers, fine and well with me. It will be important to make sure that the change to a 3-station format is NOT just to allow for more people to pass. IPPT is supposed to be an incentive and a badge of honour for the NSmen to keep fit and be operationally ready physically. Is a 5-station IPPT pass and a 3-station IPPT pass of the same quality? If it is, again, fine and well. IF not, we have a problem. A real problem!;

3. it will be wonderful to learn who are the militaries that use the 3-station IPPT and are producing excellent fighting men and women? If they are from some of the top notch military powers and their soldiers are renown for their physical fitness and operational readiness, we know our NSmen and women are top notch too when they passed their 3-station IPPT. We will be at ease as we DID NOT lower the standard of performance JUST to get MORE to pass!

As the Minister of Defence said: staying healthy and fighting fit per the IPPT standard must be a lifestyle. It cannot be a lifestyle of doing less to achieve more. It cannot be a lifestyle of SHORTCUT!