RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-02768 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

Her 25 Apr 2012 “Unsatisfactory” Fitness Assessment (FA) score, 
be removed from the Air Force Fitness Management System (AFFMS). 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

According to AFI 36-2905, Air Force Fitness Program, Table 
A13.1, persons on thyroid replacement medication are to be 
exempt from the walk or run components of the FA until cleared 
by their Primary Care Manager (PCM) as these medications can 
affect the outcome of the test. 

 

The AF Form 469, Duty Limiting Conditions Report, was not 
completed by her PCM when the medicine was prescribed. Her 
dosage was still being adjusted and had been doubled two weeks 
prior to the FA. 

 

Heartbeat is a key component of the one mile walk test and her 
medication caused an abnormally high heart rate. 

 

The applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at 
Exhibit A. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

According to the applicant’s SF 600, Chronological Record of 
Medical Care, dated 7 Aug 2012, she had gradual weight gain over 
the last year or so aggravated by Hypothyroidism. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

AFPC/DPSIM recommends denial. DPSIM states the applicant does 
have an AF Form 422, Notification of Air Force Member's 
Qualification Status, exempting her from all components of the 
FA in question, except the abdominal circumference (AC). DPSIM 
therefore recommends the cardio, push-up, and sit-up components 
of the FA dated 25 Apr 2012 be updated to reflect "exempt" in 
the AFFMS. Because she failed to meet the minimum AC 


measurement, exemption of the aforementioned components will 
still result in an overall composite score of 
72.50 (Unsatisfactory). 

 

The complete DPSIM evaluation, with attachment, is at Exhibit C. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF THE AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

To discount all components of the test except the AC would be 
unjust. The flight medical officer clearly states the cardio 
component was affected by the medication and a causal 
relationship between her medical condition and AC was inferred. 
Because people gain weight by different distributions throughout 
the body, a quantitative statement saying the medical condition 
resulted in a gain of a specific amount of inches around the 
waist cannot be made. Exercise physiologists say spot reduction 
is not possible through specific exercise, so to lower one’s AC, 
one must lose weight. This logic also concludes a medical 
condition causing weight gain would cause an increase in AC. 

 

Her heart rate was abnormally high due to the increased dosage 
of Synthroid. The increased heart rate caused her to fail the 
FA. She should have never taken the walk test while her dosage 
was still being adjusted and the FA should be invalidated based 
on the solid medical evidence presented. She should not be 
penalized with a failure on her record for extenuating 
circumstances that were beyond her control. Invalidating only 
portions of the test is unfair. The increased dosage of 
Synthroid caused tachycardia which in turn caused her to fail 
the FA in question. 

 

Her complete response, with attachments, is at Exhibit D. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 

 

1. The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by 
existing law or regulations. 

 

2. The application was timely filed. 

 

3. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to 
demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice warranting 
partial relief. After thoroughly reviewing the evidence of 
record and noting the applicant’s contentions and response to 
the Air Force advisory we agree with the Air Force office of 
primary responsibility (OPR) and recommend the cardio, sit-up 
and push-up components of the FA dated 25 Apr 2012, be updated 
to reflect exempt in the AFFMS. While we note the applicant 
requests the entire FA dated 25 Apr 2012, be removed, the AF 
Form 422 reflected that she was cleared to test using AC and she 


has not provided substantial evidence to persuade us otherwise. 
Therefore, we find no basis to remove the entire FA. In view of 
the above, we recommend her records be corrected to the extent 
indicated below. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: 

 

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air 
Force relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that the 
cardio, sit-up and push-up components of her FA dated 25 Apr 
2012 reflect “exempt” in the AFFMS. 

 

_______________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered this application 
in Executive Session on 19 Mar 2013, under the provisions of AFI 
36-2603: 

 

Panel Chair 

Member 

Member 

 

All members voted to correct the record as recommended. The 
following documentary evidence was considered in AFBCMR BC-2012-
02768: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 2 May 2012, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Letter, AFPC/DPSIM, dated 12 Jul 2012, w/atch. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 26 Jul 2012. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, Applicant, dated 24 Aug 2012, w/atchs.