The thing that impressed me the most in the whole story was the fact that he paid for the new suit himself. :D

Just my 2 pence worth:

1. Fitness is important.
2. Self Motivation is important.
3. Fitness is an indicator of Self Motivation.
4. Inteligence is important.
5. Effective Avoidance of Sh*te, Admin Triv', is an example of inteligence.
6. The Motivation, to consistently and effectively avoid Sh*te admin Triv', displays 2 and 4.
7. Sh*te Admin 'Triv-ites' display typically neither 2 or 4 but might be able to run up and down a gym.
8. Treat people as Monkeys- They act like Monkeys.
9. Treat people as Adults, they 'usually' act like adults.
10. See 1.
(11. Treat the whole Armed forces as a Super Cost Cutting Exercise, while we are in or about to be in a whole bunch of pooh, and see 1-9)


Advo

:oh:

General Wall is indeed an imposing figure. Just as Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf was in GW1. No-one told him he was perhaps a bit on the chubby side. Well, if they did then they probably didn't do so twice....

My Harrier comment was a snipe at the RAF's fast jet-centricity, not at the General's avoirdupois!

Gen Wall sounds like the sort of leader who is revered by all ranks - a rare attribute indeed these days, it seems.

bravo av!

and if those rules apply to the ivory towers, they apply to podgy lineys imho!

Just like an individual I have worked with, he has all of the qualities you have described but because he's only a Cpl he is getting the boot for failing his fitness test a test this General hasn't taken for 10 years. Now I know you'll come back with it's his own fault etc and to be fair maybe it is but he hasn't/can't hide behind his rank and use the qualities you mention as an excuse.

A 55-year old corporal? I thought that the only one of those was a certain Cpl A. Hitler....:\

Although the phrase 'Fit for purpose' would seem perhaps relevant?

As I recall, in the winter months when colds and 'flu were rife, it was the 'Jock Strappers' who spent most time off sick, not the more portly amongst us.

Nep Rex, I have to agree with you. I was averagely fit in my time in the mob (wimps with the occasional beasties in FI and never failed a fitness test) but I worked with some incredibly fit guys and, to a man, they struggled on any Exercise of more than 3-4 days (Whirlygig et al) when they couldn't do their 10m daily run. Something to do with endorphins I believe. No thoroughbreds please just fit plodders for me.

Stop press. Hold the front page:

Man buys some clothes with his own money!

It's not exactly earth-shattering is it. Typical gutter-rag space filling crap. What is the point of this article?

Peter Wall is an exceptional officer and leader. I doubt whether you will find much disagreement amongst people who have worked for him.

He absolutely wipes the floor with our current crop of senior officers. End of story.

I think the article is trying to highlight the disparity between the serial deep fried cod muncher keeping his job whilst plenty of others of a similar disposition are losing theirs :(

Codswallop.

Anyway, all officers have to buy their own replacement uniforms. What they didn't mention in the article is that he would also get £400 tax relief on his purchase.

Gents do you not think there is a bit of a difference between a racing snake jockstrapper who always has time off for sport but comes down with sports related injurys when the going gets tough etc etc and yon fat liney who can fix umpty billion jets in minus 300C but carries some freight?

There is a bit of middle ground - the average guy who does the average phys and keeps it together..

Just bloody do it - exercise makes you fell good.

As an ex Sapper myself I can vouch for the fact that anyone volunteering for Para first had to pass the 9 Sqn pre-para, which was daunting.

Not just anyone got to command 9 Sqn, it could be a career breaker. The Sapper para sqn would lead the entire Airborne Brigade into battle, no room for any kind of screw ups, only the very best leaders will do.

The kind of determination and qualities of endurance that it takes to get through para training would probably get an overweight fifty five year old through the annual test and leave some people half his age looking a bit sick.

I think his parachuting days are over though.

Beags, for what it's worth, one of my CPLs is in his fifties, passes his BFA every time, and in fact did his basic para course - barrier test and all - aged 52.

They don't all end up invading Poland .... :}

One rule for one, one rule for another - no one that I can see if disagreeing about his man's abilities ( they are truly amazing!). However, you cannot have from the top - in this and age say: "do as I say, not as I do!"

Surely, regardless of rank, or service if you don't cut the mark, you face the consequences! How can this man, look his troops in the eyes and say; yes your getting kicked out because you can't pass the fitness test, but it's Ok I'm different, I'm better, I don't have to pass it!!

Verrry interesting.

Shouldn't the debate be more on the recognition of the medical standards?
Shouldn't a 55 y.o General be able to do what 55 yo Generals do, or for interest how many 35 yo Generals are there. Shouldn't a CPL be able to do what CPL need to do irrelevant of age ?

Isn't this along the lines of requirements for the job. If I want to keep flying I have to pass the required fitness test, irrelevant of age. Mind you there is a different standard for us youngsters.

When was the last time a General led the lads over the top?

Having met and spent some time with the guy I will lay odds on that there are pictures in "Soldier" magazine of him completing his BFT within the next couple of months.

I say again, in the Army there are no fitness tests for the over 50s. I remember with pleasure completing my own last one successfully may moons ago and breathing a sigh of relief.
The General is not saying one thing and doing another. Why can't you crabs get it? Lack of physical fitness at his age is not something you can accuse this man of. I bet he could still run most of you off your feet.