PDF HQ is mostly PES C personnel but with 3 NSF
National Grade runners attached, so that their training does not
interrupt unit training. 7PDF HQ has an overall 50%
pass rate for IPPT with only 3% Gold.
999 BSG is a combat unit with no National Grade athletes
attached. They managed a 97% IPPT Pass rate with 50% Gold
standard.
In the Army Half Marathon, each unit is invited to send
their 3 best runners for a inter-unit competition.
The 7PDF runners come in 1,2 and 5th ... the 999 BSG runners
come in 8, 15 and 21st.
Is it fair to infer from the Army Half marathon results that
999 BSG has issues with fitness that need to be addressed? Or
is it better to use the IPPT results?
The larger your sample population, the better your
correlation
The above reasoning is based on an attribute which cannot
be changed - fitness or medical condition ( or lack of
it in the example ) . Unfortunately, one cannot
change many of those classified as PES C to PES A.
Good marksmanship is a skill which can be changed (
brought to a much higher level ) across the board given
sufficient empahsis, time &
resources. A PES C can be a great
marksman too although he may may no value on a battlefield.
Also, the population size in this case is the whole SG
Army. It is a large pool to draw from to get good
shooters.
I look forward to the day when SAF hosts the AARM. We can then
use scoped standard issue rifles and baffled ranges
among other "advantages " & bag the prizes.