5BX Plan

When I was in the US Air Force back in the early 1960's they had a requirement that we all had to be physically fit and could preform certain exercises. One of my flight team did not fit the "image" of what the USAF wanted. He was short and stocky but very strong. They apparently thought they could get him out of the Air Force because they didn't think he could pass the physical requirements.

Before he enlisted he was a sheep rancher in Idaho and he used to come up behind me and put his hands under my arms and lift my 165 pounds straight up. When it came time to test him they first had him do 20 chin ups on the chin up bar. He respectfully asked which hand he could use. The officer gruffly told him he didn't care which hand he used, assuming he couldn't do it with both hands.  My flight member did 20 pull ups with one hand. 

Then it was time to do the push ups. Again the same question and the officer was really annoyed by now so he did 20 push ups with one hand. The officer was so angry by now that he passed him and abruptly walked away. That is a memory that will remain with me for a long time. The rest of us had to use two hands to pass the test. 

I understand that the military in again requiring members to maintain a certain level of physical fitness which in my opinion is a very good requirement. They should never have stopped requiring this part of service.