RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2013-00130 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His fitness assessment (FA) score recorded on 31 August 2012 be removed from the Air Force Fitness Management System (AFFMS). ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 1. In January 2012 he injured his ankle when he tripped while running during physical training (PT). He was diagnosed with an ankle sprain and placed on a physical profile, which prohibited running or walking. On 14 February 2012, he completed his annual FA and scored 92.5. While completing his test he experienced severe pain in the same ankle while performing the sit-ups. After about 30 days he began physical training but kept experiencing severe pain. He made an appointment with his medical provider and was diagnosed with an ankle sprain and chronic traumatic arthritis in the same ankle. He was placed on a profile and completed six weeks of physical therapy. 2. After completing the therapy he told his medical provider that the therapy had helped but he was concerned about performing sit-ups or running. He explained how someone holding his ankles caused severe pain and it was hard for him to go all the way down on the sit-ups as it caused his ankle to stretch out and limited his range of motion. His medical provider stated that he could not eliminate the sit-ups but could change his cardio requirement from running to walking. The medical provider said both walking and sit-ups would cause pain but not injury. The medical provider issued a new profile on 29 August 2012 and he completed his annual FA two days later and failed due to not meeting the minimum sit-ups. Several of the sit-ups were not counted because he had not gone down far enough. Additionally, although passing the walk portion, he experienced severe pain and was forced to limp around the track only meeting the minimum time. 3. He attended fitness counseling at the Health and Wellness Center (HAWC ) where they suggested using the toe bar for sit- ups. He was able to adjust to using the toe bar which reduced the stretching on the ankle and pain associated with it. He took several practice FAs that he entered into the fitness calculator and averaged overall scores over 90. What he was not aware of, and the instructions on the fitness website do not explain, is that you have to switch age range to your exact age when walking instead of running or it causes the score to be wrong. He completed another test on 5 October 2012 and failed by three seconds due to limping as before. He made an appointment with a new medical provider who agreed that he should not be walking and issued a new profile dated 5 November 2012. He retested on 28 December 2012 and scored 100. He believes his current physical profile is correct and that the FA failures caused by his incorrect physical profile should be removed from his record. In support of his request the applicant submits copies of his AF Forms 422, Notification of Air Force Member’s Qualification Status, and AFFMS, Report of Individual Fitness. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. ________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant is currently serving in the Regular Air Force in the grade of Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt), E-9. A resume of the applicant's FA results is as follows: Date Composite Score Rating 28 Dec 12 100.00 Excellent 5 Oct 12 98.75 Excellent *31 Aug 12 77.80 Unsatisfactory 14 Feb 12 92.50 Excellent 29 Jul 11 87.20 Satisfactory 28 Jan 11 85.20 Satisfactory * Contested FA ________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 1. AFPC/DPSIM recommends an administrative correction to apply the exemption for both the run and walk tests. Therefore, AFFMS has been updated to reflect the cardio exemption for both contested FAs. In the applicant's DD Form 149, he also indicated he had ankle pain when completing the sit-up component of the 31 August 2012 FA. Based on the score charts in AFI 36- 2905, Fitness Program, the 31 August 2012, FA failure was based on the insufficient number of sit-ups. Unfortunately, neither profile exempts him from the sit-up component. 2. DPSIM states the applicant provided an AF Form 422, dated 29 August 2012, exempting him from the 1.5-mile run and clearing him for the 1.0-mile walk, push-ups, and sit-ups. The applicant took his FA on 31 August 2012, (according to AFFMS) using this profile; resulting in a composite score of 77.80, an unsatisfactory fitness level due to not achieving the minimum requirement for sit-ups. Using the same profile, the applicant did not pass the FA on 5 October 2012, recording a composite score of 78.30. The applicant provided a second AF Form 422, dated 29 August 2012, amending the original to include an exemption from the 1.0-mile walk. 3. The evidence provided allows their office to update AFFMS to reflect exemptions for the cardio component; notwithstanding, the sit-up component remains. No evidence was provided to allow exemption of the sit-up component, therefore they recommend denying relief for this component. The complete AFPC/DPSIM evaluation, with attachment, is at Exhibit C. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant on 10 May 2013 for review and comment within 30 days (Exhibit D). To date, a response has not been received. ________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 1. The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing law or regulations. 2. The application was timely filed. 3. Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of error or injustice. After thoroughly reviewing the evidence of record and noting the applicant's contentions, we are not persuaded the entire contested FA is in error or unjust. The AF Forms 422, Notification of Air Force Member’s Qualification Status, documenting his limitations and physical fitness exemptions are noted; however, in the absence of documentation indicating the applicant should have been exempt from completing the FA, we find insufficient evidence to warrant removal of the entire FA. The Board notes the evidence provided allowed the Air Force office of primary responsibility to administratively update the Air Force Fitness Management System (AFFMS) to reflect exemption for the cardio component of the FA; notwithstanding, the sit-up component remains. No evidence was provided to allow exemption of the sit-up component, therefore, we agree with the opinion and recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility and adopt its rationale as the basis for our conclusion that relief beyond that already administratively granted is not warranted. ________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: The applicant be notified that the evidence presented did not demonstrate the existence of material error or injustice; that the application was denied without a personal appearance; and that the application will only be reconsidered upon the submission of newly discovered relevant evidence not considered with this application. ________________________________________________________________ The following members of the Board considered this application in Executive Session on 12 December 2013, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: , Panel Chair , Member , Member The following documentary evidence was considered in AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2013-00130: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated, 2 Jan 2013, w/atchs. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIM, dated, 2 May 2013 w/atch. Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 10 May 2013.