51-year-old finishes basic training at Fort Wood

Thursday, February 16, 2012

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (AP) — A 51-year-old woman has finished basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, becoming one of the oldest people to go through the 10 weeks of physical and tactical drills.

Sgt. Sandra Coast, of Holmes, Ohio, will graduate from the program Thursday, allowing her to serve with an Army Reserve unit.

Coast served in the Navy for 11 years before leaving in 1993 to raise her son. When her son joined the Marines, she decided to join the Army.

She shed 30 pounds to prepare for training. Despite being three times older than most of the other recruits, Coast had one of the highest physical fitness test scores in the company.

Her unit’s first sergeant, John Byars, says Coast is “a prime example that age is just a number.”

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Sequoia 1 year, 3 months ago

Who says women can't serve in combat? Hope I'm half this good at her age.

billbrasky 1 year, 3 months ago

I think it was the United States military that said that woman can't serve in combat roles.

John 1 year, 3 months ago

What has passing the APFT and serving in combat have to do with one another?

Sequoia 1 year, 3 months ago

Huh? What else is the training for? Just looking good in the uniform?

John 1 year, 3 months ago

You obviously have never been in a combat situation if you believe that passing a physical fitness test decides whether or not you are capable of serving in a combat role.

Sequoia 1 year, 3 months ago

Look, I was just trying to give the woman props. But please educate me. What DOES decide whether a person is capable of serving in combat?

My understanding is that once you pass basic training, you can get sent into combat. Is that not true?

No, that is not true. AFTER basic training comes a schooling process, AIT (Advanced Individual Training). This is where a job specialty is learned, and just for your info, that includes infantry and other combat roles. Many, many people never make it through these schools REGARDLESS of their physical fitness scores. And just to let you know, the acceptabble APFT scores for women are less than they are for men. They do not have to run as fast, they do not have to do as many sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups to reach the maximum score possible. Now, I hasten to add, that does not mean they are necessarily incapable of fulfilling a combat role, but neither does it mean that they ARE capable.

Sequoia 1 year, 3 months ago

Ah, thanks. So basic training is like the physical fitness portion, and AIT is where they learn the skills specific to infantry, air defense, MP, etc. And I take your point about the APFT for men vs. women.

Interestingly, some of this may become moot in the future. I just saw this article discussion the possibilities and ethics of bioengineering supersoldiers:

theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/02/more-than-human-the-ethics-of-biologically-enhancing-soldiers/253217/

wow 1 year, 3 months ago

Don't get all in huf. Even though I give many cudoes' to the military and certainly this soldier...here's the truth. The Army Physical Fitnes Test (APFT) is based on age...therefore an older soldier is required to do less repatitions than a younger soldier, yet can and do receive more points than their oyunger counter part. And based on expereience I don't recall one "Tarine"e ever garduating Basic Combat Training (BCT) or Advancee Individual Training (AIT) at the rank of Sergeant. I hope Coast has a good career, but I also hope it's all for real and not some hyped up over blown misreported stunt. Anybody remember Jessica Lynch?

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