The Royal Military College – Duntroon. Physical Conditioning Optimisation Review Fitness Profile Review (1999-2008)

Executive Summary [Extract]
With the recent Physical Conditioning Optimisation Review (PCOR) limited to only a snapshot in time, a more specific review to better understand the fitness profile of trainees at the Royal Military College of Duntroon (RMC) was needed. The aim of this review therefore, was to develop a physical fitness profile of trainees completing the full time (FT) General Service Officer (GSO) First Appointment Course (FAC) at RMC; and then to utilise the profile to optimise future physical conditioning programs.
The review found that over the 10-year review period class sizes increased: III Class alone increasing in size by over 100%. With PTI staff numbers remaining constant and class sizes increasing, PTI: trainee ratios increased to the point where, even will all seven instructors taking
lessons, the 1:25 doctrinal rule was breached. While insufficient data was available to determine the direct impact of this ratio increase, the period of the review with the higher fitness results, was also the period with lower PTI: trainee ratios. While the eligibility age for entry into RMC increased from 25 to 53 years of age, the average age of the trainees increased only marginally from 22.5 to 23.7 years of age. Although the ‘27 years and older’ age group did have run times slower than their peers, it was the ‘under 21’ age group that had
the greatest impact on fitness assessment results. With Australian school children found to be decreasing in fitness, the ‘under 21’ age group followed suit and, with this cohort directing fitness results, III Class fitness results in particular decreased. Increases in Initial Fitness Assessment failures were also found, most notably in the last two semesters, with female trainees constituting
90% of the failures.