Can a J Pt flag be removed due to a preexisting injury?

2020-08-19T18:05:36-04:00

I scheduled a doctors appointment (They told me it would take 2 months to get me in) and then about 2 weeks later I was put on the apft schedule. I took it and failed, when I finally got my doctors appointment I was put on profile and told I have a herniated disk and inflamed ficet

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2020 6:16 PM

2020-08-19T18:16:18-04:00

I'm guessing that you should've gone to sick call, that way your BN PA could have put you on profile right away.
But PT tests are sort of in limbo right now, ya know COVID and stuff.
So either they shouldn't have done an APFT and your old one should still count, or you didn't do the process correctly to get a profile and therefore are now flagged.....or both.
And there's option 4: there is more information that hasn't been presented in this post that explains more of the issue.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Aug 19 at 2020 6:19 PM

2020-08-19T18:19:45-04:00

You should have gotten a profile prior to the APFT and avoided having to take it especially if you were injured. You definitely should have gotten a profile to cover you until you got into the doctor.

You're going to have the flag until you're cleared to take an APFT again - or ACFT. You failed an APFT.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2020 6:58 PM

2020-08-19T18:58:06-04:00

Unfortunately since you have a failure as your last For Record APFT, that is what the system will reflect for APFT Status. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, all personnel who have expired APFTs are being extended until Mar 2022. But if you have a failure for the APFT and have been flagged the Army will not remove the flag until you pass the APFT.

If you have a temporary profile, your Unit Training NCO should be able to input the Commander's Exemption in DTMS and you'll not be required to take another APFT until after the profile expires. This won't get you off the failure list, but it will give you time to receive medical treatment and appropriate recovery time. Speak with your chain of command & unit training NCO so everything is covered correctly in the system. Make sure you follow up with the doctor and do everything they say to do IOT recover from the injury. Under no circumstances should you violate a profile from the doctor, do as they instruct and only undertake physical activities that they say you can do (walk instead of run). Normally a unit Commander (Captain level) should be able to authorize an alternate event for the APFT (say the Bike or Walking event), if you have a longer term profile (say 4-6 months), if not they may just say you can't take the APFT until after your recovery time is up.

The old Army APFT may not be given for record after 30 Sep 2020 and since the Army is moving to the new ACFT, there has been a transition time set up until March 2022. This is to give time Soldiers the time necessary to train, take and pass the new ACFT.

Hope this can help. Good luck to you.

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made Aug 19 at 2020 7:54 PM

2020-08-19T19:54:39-04:00

Like everyone else, the flag stays. Important thing here is should this lead to a chapter, you have ammunition your unit did not listen to your pain and did not take care of you. Still have the 689 sick slip when you were brushed off? It is extremely important that you keep all the paperwork.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2020 10:07 PM

2020-08-19T22:07:54-04:00

Unfortunately no, if you had paperwork protecting you from that APFT you would of been good but since you took it and failed that’s what the ARMY is going with. The only way to remove that flag is to take another APFT and pass it. Your health is number 1 and if you felt like you couldn’t pass it before, you should of gotten proper documentation. Now you may have to wait for any promotion until your healed.