SUBJECT: (U) CLARIFICATION ON RECORDING FITNESS PROGRAM ASSESSMENTS

REFERENCE MESSAGE DTG 041656Z OCT 04

1.  WE’VE RECEIVED EXTENSIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE FIELD REQUESTING FURTHER CLARIFICATION TO THE REFERENCED MESSAGE CONCERNING THE INAPPROPRIATENESS OF FITNESS ASSESSMENT INFORMATION ON PERFORMANCE REPORTS AND ALSO ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION TO AFI 10-248.

2.  THE FOLLOWING AMPLIFYING GUIDANCE IS PROVIDED FOR YOUR USE:

A.  CHAPTER 8, PARAGRAPH 8.2.1: COMMANDERS SHOULD NOT USE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS BASED SOLELY ON THE FITNESS ASSESSMENT FOR THE FIRST 180 DAYS OF THE PROGRAM.  THIS LINES UP WITH ATTACHMENT 13 WHICH GIVES GUIDANCE AND OPTIONS FOR ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN AT GREATER THAN 6 MONTHS, GREATER THAN 9 MONTHS AND GREATER THAN 12 MONTHS UNFIT, ETC.  THESE TIMELINES ARE IN PLACE TO GIVE INDIVIDUALS THE NECESSARY TIME TO MAKE FITNESS IMPROVEMENTS SAFELY.  HOWEVER, THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY LIES WITH THE INDIVIDUAL TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPROVING HIS/HER FITNESS AND HEALTH CONDITION.   FAILURE TO DO SO MAY ULTIMATELY RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION AND A REFERRAL PERFORMANCE REPORT.

B. ATCH 13, LINES 1 AND 2:  ADDRESS TWO DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF

THE FITNESS PROGRAM -- THE FIRST LINE IS FOR FAILURE TO PARTICIPATE. I.E. MISSING SQUADRON FITNESS ACTIVITIES, MISSING SCHEDULED APPTS AT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER, ETC; SIMPLY PUT, ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN ON A MISSED APPOINTMENT AND CONSIDERED A “FAILURE TO GO”.   THE SECOND LINE DEALS WITH ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN ON POOR FITNESS SCORES.  COMMANDERS SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO THE TIMELINES ESTABLISHED-GREATER THAN 6, 9 AND 12 MONTHS FOR ADMIN AND PERSONNEL ACTIONS AS A RESULT OF THE POOR FITNESS SCORE. 

C. ATTACHMENT 13: THE OPTIONS LISTED ARE JUST THAT-OPTIONS.  THESE ARE THE SAME OPTIONS COMMANDERS HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THEIR USE CONCERNING INFRACTIONS ON OTHER AIR FORCE STANDARDS.  COMMANDERS CAN USE SOME, ALL, OR NONE OF THE OPTIONS.  THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO BE FAIR AND CONSISTENT.

D. RETESTING FOR FAILURES:  WE HAVE HEARD ANECDOTALLY THAT SOME UNITS MAY BE RETESTING AS EARLY AS 45 DAYS AFTER AN INDIVIDUAL RECEIVES A POOR FITNESS SCORE.   WHILE THIS FALLS IN THE GUIDELINES OF PARAGRAPH 3.4, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO GIVE INDIVIDUALS THE MAXIMUM TIME AVAILABLE OF UP TO 90 DAYS TO IMPROVE THEIR FITNESS SCORE.  

E. FITNESS SCORES:  DO NOT PUT ANY FITNESS SCORES IN A MEMBER’S OPR OR EPR, PERIOD.  HOWEVER, THE EXCLUSION OF A SCORE DOES NOT PREVENT A COMMANDER FROM ISSUING A REFERRAL REPORT WHEN A MEMBER CONTINUES TO DISPLAY POOR FITNESS OR HAS NOT DEMONSTRATED FITNESS IMPROVEMENT.  IN THOSE CASES, REFERRAL COMMENTS SHOULD FOCUS ON THE REASONS OR BEHAVIOR RESULTING IN POOR FITNESS, IN LIEU OF THE NUMERICAL SCORE ITSELF.  AS IN ANY REFERRAL REPORT, THE RATER SHOULD APPROPRIATELY MARK THE STANDARDS BLOCK ON THE REPORT’S FRONT SIDE AND MAKE SPECIFIC COMMENTS ON THE BACK -- AS WOULD BE DONE WHEN A MEMBER FAILS TO MEET ANY AIR FORCE STANDARDS.  COMMANDERS, FIRST SERGEANTS AND SUPERVISORS MUST BE FAIR AND CONSISTENT IN THE APPLICATION OF ALL AIR FORCE STANDARDS.

F.  AFI 36-2401, CORRECTING OFFICER AND ENLISTED EVALUATIONS REPORT: 

OUTLINES ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS FOR APPEALING PERFORMANCE REPORTS.  INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED PERFORMANCE REPORTS INCLUDING FITNESS ASSESSMENT SCORE INFORMATION AND DESIRE TO SUBMIT AN APPEAL SHOULD CONTACT THEIR CSS/MPF EVALUATIONS SECTION FOR ASSISTANCE. 

G.   BASELINE FITNESS TEST:  AFTER CLARIFICATION WITH SG, THE FIRST FITNESS TEST IS CONSIDERED AN ASSESSMENT SCORE OR BASELINE SCORE; THIS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE REVISED AFI.   IF THE FIRST TEST RESULTED IN A POOR FITNESS ASSESSMENT, IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED THE BASELINE AND NOT A FIRST TIME FAILURE. 

3.    IN FEB 05, SHORTLY AFTER THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY POINT OF THE NEW FITNESS PROGRAM, WE WILL CONDUCT AN END-TO END PROGRAM REVIEW, TO INCLUDE SCORING METHODOLOGY, METRICS AND HOW TO BEST DOCUMENT A MEMBER’S FITNESS PERFORMANCE ON EPRS/OPRS RELATIVE TO MEETING OR EXCEEDING STANDARDS.