True, actually. The rationale was that the military members were not being objective and letting people cheat on the test.
Which proves my earlier statement. Obviously there are some good people in the AF with the right priorities, but the organization itself has issues. To wit - they can't/don't trust their NCOs and Os to administer PT tests (despite their primary stated core value, "integrity first"). Instead of holding people accountable they outsource and perpetuate the cultural flaw. No way the Marine Corps or even the Navy would stand for that.
Does that alone constitute "warrior ethos"? Clearly not but it is indicative of what you can expect from the culture. The AF serves its purpose but its DNA leads to more discussion of management than leadership, it's simply not a "warrior" culture.