British Army warned standards are 'too low' as entry fitness requirements slashed

A former army captain has blasted reduced fitness entry requirements for aspiring officers. Dan Russell, who served in the Royal Anglian Regiment and now trains those hoping to join the armed forces, took to social media to condemn a reduction in the score required on the bleep test for those attending officer selection.

He claims that those who attended the initial assessment in Westbury last week were only required to reach 7.10 on the test, significantly lower than the 8.6 standard that has been required in recent years. The army was criticised in April 2019 when it lowered the previous standard from 10.2 for those hoping to earn a place on the commissioning course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, one of the most prestigious military institutions in the world. Speaking on Instagram, he said: "I am really disappointed with some of the standards that are going on within the military at the moment and I don't really understand why.

"Lowering a standard is risky. It sets the wrong precedent, undermines the demand of the job and most importantly, sets people up for failure.

"If you struggle to pass the bleep test you are going to struggle at Sandhurst, simple as that."

Russell stressed that he had only heard of the change from his students who attended Army Officer Selection Board briefing, the first of two stages of officer selection.

He warned his followers who are considering a career in the army to ignore the new lower standard and to aim higher if they want to succeed in military training and lead soldiers.

He added: "7.10 is way too low to be a leader of soldiers, it is way too low and you'll get to Sandhurst and people will still be really fit and you don't want to spend a year lagging behind, not get the regiment of your choice and then ultimately end up disappointing your soldiers."

The Sandhurst commissioning course that all officers must pass is notoriously difficult, with cadets expected to pass several gruelling fitness tests to ensure that they are able to lead soldiers by example once they arrive at their regiment.

Famous faces to have passed the commissioning course include Winston Churchill, Princes William and Harry, singer James Blunt and astronaut Tim Peake.

The warning comes after one soldier told the Daily Express that new fitness standards were "horrendous" and left the army "not prepared to fight."

New guidelines given to physical training instructors (PTIs) require soldiers to conduct a 2km (1.2m) best effort run, with only those who complete the test in more than 11 minutes being labelled as of "moderate" fitness and in need of remedial training.

Sources told the Daily Express that remedial training very rarely takes place.

The infantry PTI, who didn't wish to be named, said: "Fitness standards are horrendous, the army is not prepared to fight. It is actually a joke."

He added: "You can't deny it has been made easier. Before, you had to complete a mile and a half run in 10 and a half minutes for men, whereas now, with the SCR, you run a shorter distance but get given more time, and because it is an 'assessment', you technically can't fail."

It remains unclear whether the reduction of the bleep test standard is a temporary measure or whether it is a permanent change.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has been approached for comment.