Teens take on physical training challenge

By Parker RomeJune 25, 2009

Teens take on physical training challenge
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Teens take on physical training challenge
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Teens take on physical training challenge
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FORT RILEY, Kan. - Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment administered a physical training challenge to participating teenagers June 15 at the Middle School Teen Center.

"It's basically an Army PT test, but we redid the scores to fit the younger crowd and wanted them to be able to experience what their parents experience in the Army," said Sgt. Daniel Acevedo, 1st Bn., 34th Armor Regt.

The event, which was held to honor the Army's birthday, was the same as a PT test. The teenagers had to do as many pushups and sit-ups as they could in two-minute periods and a two-mile run.

"These kids are absolutely amazing," Acevedo said. "I mean I looked at some of their scores compared to some of the Soldiers scores, and they outdo a lot of Soldiers. They really do. They were great kids. They pushed hard."

Luc Pohlman, 14, used his experience from track and soccer practice to put him on top of the participating teenagers in all three activities. He completed 63 pushups, 83 sit-ups and ran the two-mile course in 12 minutes 39 seconds.

Acevedo was impressed with the enthusiasm the participants had, especially by some who forgot to bring proper running shoes and ran shoeless.

"Running the two miles with no shoes on, and running on concrete, I wouldn't do it, but to see a kid push that hard and do that well, it was absolutely amazing," he said. "It motivated me."

Sgt. Sean Ripley, 1st Bn., 34th Armor Regt., was impressed by the teenagers' motivation.

"If we could get some of the motivation that some of these young students had in some of the Soldiers that we have in the Army," he said. "It's amazing how happy they were to do their sit-ups, pushups and run.

The Soldiers who participated were happy to get the chance.

"It's an honor to be a positive influence on these kids," Ripley said. "I mean, their parents are at work - they work a lot of hours - and to show them what we do and what their parents do every day, it's a real honor."

Respect was obtained by each party as the teenagers were able to experience what the Soldiers go through with their PT.