The Army may ditch fitness tests for unfit, 'ponytail-wearing' hackers
It's a truth, often forgotten, that no-one can be perfect at everything. We may laud Justin Timberlake's musical, dancing and acting ability, but he's probably a terrible plumber. It's a problem that the Army is beginning to understand, since the sort of people who can successfully fight in a cyber war are more likely to be bad at assault courses, climbing ropes and carrying heavy objects. It's with this in mind that Lt. Gen. Robert Brown, head of the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, says that the US Army may relax its fitness requirements for digital soldiers.
Speaking at the New America Foundation, the Telegraph reports that the officer said that the best cyber soldiers "are not natural candidates for a military career." He went on to add, delightfully, that these teens "grew up on Google and wear ponytails," and they're probably listening to some of that gosh-darn it loud rock and roll music, too. Of course, this is an off-hand remark from a single officer, although it's a sentiment that's been uttered before, most recently by Maj. Gen. Allen Batschelet in October. Still, it looks as if all those hours of Uplink may just get you out of having to do the regulation 100 pushups, 100 sit-ups and 2-mile run.
