Clarification on fitness test following downgrade

[ticketyboo]

Hello all.

I am a long time lurker on the forums so I hope it is not inappropriate for me to make my first post here.

I am a civvy with a sibling in the RAF, and I’d like to better understand the position around admin discharge following RAFFT failure, I am the older sibling so always try to look out for him as much as I can do. Situation is:

• Brother sat RAFFT at previous stn and failed. Cue MAA.
• He then was put on a remedial course
• Sat fitness test again at the end of the 12 weeks and failed. Cue FW.
• Was posted to another stn
• Was medically downgraded for 6 months due to persistent nerve inflammation in both heels, this obviously affected running ability due to pain
• Downgrade was extended for a further 6 months

It is now coming to the end of the second 6 month downgrade period and the nerve inflammation has resolved following physio etc. The RAFFT is now of course coming due again and although he is training for it, regularly going to the stn gym etc I want to understand the “what if” scenario.

If he fails the RAFFT again this will be the 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] consecutive time which as I understand it would result in admin discharge. But my question is, seeing as there has been a period of medical downgrade in the middle of these, does this change the situation at all, or are the rules still the same?

Any clarification appreciated and many thanks for reading.

ticketyboo

 

[gray]

After a downgrade - especially for a year, the clock should reset again, and back to test 1.

Should get 12 weeks after downgrade finishes, to recondition again.....

 

[bubblebutt]

After a downgrade - especially for a year, the clock should reset again, and back to test 1.

Should get 12 weeks after downgrade finishes, to recondition again.....

I got 4 weeks following a medical upgrade after a year of being downgraded following surgery. Failed the RAFFT, i got 12 weeks then and an MAA. Passed no problems after that. If you are fit enough to be upgraded then that's the medical people telling the RAF you can pass the RAFFT as there's no medical reason why you shouldn't pass it.

 

[Dazzy26]

I got 4 weeks following a medical upgrade after a year of being downgraded following surgery. Failed the RAFFT, i got 12 weeks then and an MAA. Passed no problems after that. If you are fit enough to be upgraded then that's the medical people telling the RAF you can pass the RAFFT as there's no medical reason why you shouldn't pass it.

I got 12 weeks rehab after being downgraded for a year and surely when you are upgraded by the Doctor, this indicates you are fit to undertake the RAFFT and the rehab time is then to assist you in passing it? Sounds as if Units are doing different things and so is there a common policy?

With ref the OP's question (and again is it common policy?). One of my guys failed his Fit Test twice, MAA and Formal Warning, then was Medically downgraded for a period of 9 months. After upgrade started a return to fitness program for 12 weeks, failed on it again and the process of MAA started again as the clock reset. He passed on his second attempt.

 

[Sniffer]

It seems there are a lot of people being MAA'd straight off the back of a fitness test failure when this isn't really the correct procedure. There should be Formal Councelling at the initial failure which of course should be recorded and there is a form for that. But this is completely different to a bog standard MAA. The MAA should not kick in until the Formal Warning stage and there are quite a few stages in place before a FW can be applied. There is P1 Policy Guidance (Leaflet 136) which provides all the details and there is a footnote in there which states: "Minor Administrative Action is not regarded as the appropriate mechanism for dealing with individuals displaying an inappropriate attitude to physical fitness. Most of the sanctions available do not reflect the seriousness attributed to this failing, considering the potential end result (i.e. discharge from the Service). For this reason, this failing has a bespoke early stage process and should not be regarded as or confused with Minor Administrative Action"

 

[ticketyboo]

Hi everyone

Thanks for your responses. It is interesting to see there is a bit of divergence (although I guess that shouldn't be surprising!), but my impression is that there's at least a partial reset of the clock. I will of course advise my brother to speak to his rehab instructor and PSF as he is under the impression that if he fails on his first attempt after being upgraded then he'll be admin discharged as it's his 3rd consecutive attempt.

In the meantime any other thoughts or comments would be appreciated and many thanks for your responses.

 

[8:15fromOdium]

Something I have seen done a few times is a 'mock' fitness test.

If your brother is being looked after by the Physio/Rehab PTIs he might want to ask them about doing this under their supervision to give him an idea of his current fitness state. This would not count as an RAFFT should he pass or fail, so he would still need to do another one after being upgraded.

 

[Craig855s]

Isnt there a JSP stating exactly how many weeks/months you should be given to do a physcon program after being exempt phys for X amount of months? And i thought that after a year you'll get more grace than just 12 weeks in the wording of that JSP?

Either way the count should be reset so if he fails the first test then he'll have a lot of time to get up to standard, and with a positive attitude and the correct amount of sessions per week for 12/24 weeks there is no reason he wont improve the required amount

 

[ticketyboo]

Hi everyone I just wanted to add an update, my brother has now had a further downgrade for 6 months due to an unrelated condition (which has only just flared up with no previous signs). He is a bit frustrated that this has now happened (not the downgrade, the injury) as he was really making good progress on his fitness and wanted to prove this, however his Sgt and WO have independently come to him to say that they recognise he does have a good attitude to fitness - so that is a good thing that they see he is a grafter and isn't taking the p*ss.

He is going to ask what will happen as regards a med board as this will take him to 18 months downgraded, I'm not sure on this as the injuries he has been downgraded for are not related so I don't know if he'd be sent to a med board. As I say he is going to ask about this however does anyone have any gen in the meantime (mostly to reassure me until he's spoken to the right people!)?