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Readiness and Deployment Operations Group (RedDOG)
Revised Annual Physical Fitness Test (APFT) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Revised APFT Effective Immediately.
President’s Challenge
- Why is the President’s Challenge eliminated as of July 1, 2015?
- What is the last day the President’s Challenge can be used to meet basic readiness requirements?
- Can officers continue using the President’s Challenge on their own if desired?
- How are measurements of fitness (APFT) and physical activity (President’s Challenge) different?
Revised APFT Exercises and Standards
- Why is the APFT changing?
- How were the changes to the APFT determined?
- What is different about the revised APFT?
- Why are there different standards for the same exercises as the current APFT? Are the standards more difficult to meet than the old standards?
- Why is there a flexibility component added to the APFT?
- Why are only certain elliptical and bike machines approved for use as cardiorespiratory endurance options?
- Will citations in the scientific literature that support APFT components be available to PHS officers?
- Can officers start using the revised exercises immediately?
- Will the APFT be increased in frequency (example: twice a year)?
- Will the USPHS offer assistance to prepare officers to successfully complete the APFT?
Documentation and APFT Scoring
- How do officers determine the overall score for the APFT?
- If officers are using the elliptical or bike option, how do they determine the corresponding 1.5 mile run level to determine the points for that exercise?
- How can officers obtain the Field Medical Readiness Badge (FMRB) with the revised APFT?
- How can officers serving in an isolated location without another officer complete the APFT?
- How do officers document their APFT score?
- Why are height, body weight, and circumferences recorded on Form PHS-7044?
Medical Waivers
- How are medical waivers obtained?
- What documentation is required to obtain a waiver for a medical limitation?
- Can medical waivers be permanent?
- If an officer has a medical waiver, how is the overall APFT score determined?
- What are the consequences if an officer is unable to complete the APFT and does not have a waiver?
President’s Challenge
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Why is the President’s Challenge eliminated as of July 1, 2015?
Elimination of the President’s Challenge is necessary to provide more accountability to track the readiness status of officers. The President’s Challenge is administered by an external organization, which limits the United States Public Health Service’s (USPHS) ability to retrieve data and assess overall physical readiness of the USPHS. Also, the President’s Challenge provides documentation of physical activity but does not adequately measure one’s fitness level. Last year only 11 % (percent) of officers use the President’s Challenge to maintain basic readiness, so this change potentially affects only a small number of officers.
Furthermore, it is important for the Corps to maintain a cadre of professionals who are not only physically active, but also who are physically fit in order to model healthy lifestyles and support Corps missions.
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If I completed the President’s Challenge can I still use it to meet basic readiness requirements?
The President’s Challenge was eliminated effective July 1, 2015. President’s Challenge Awards received by June 30, 2015 will remain valid for one year from the date of the award.
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Can officers continue using the President’s Challenge on their own if desired?
Yes, officers can continue to log their physical activity using the President’s Challenge website for personal tracking and motivation. The USPHS encourages a healthy lifestyle and use of the President’s Challenge as a way for officers to monitor their health and physical activities. However, the President’s Challenge will no longer be used as the physical fitness component of basic readiness.
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How are measurements of fitness (APFT) and physical activity (President’s Challenge) different?
The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans definition of fitness includes cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, body composition, flexibility, and balance. Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle that increases energy expenditure above a basal level.
The APFT measures fitness, through cardiorespiratory, upper body, and core endurance exercises. The President’s Challenge provides documentation of physical activity but does not measure fitness.
Revised APFT Exercises and Standards
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It is important for USPHS to maintain an APFT that is evidence-based and provides an effective way to measure fitness levels needed to support USPHS missions. The current APFT has been revised to maintain those standards and offer additional (and more flexible) options to successfully complete it.
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How were the changes to the APFT determined?
A group of Corps officers was selected based on subject matter expertise to review the current scientific evidence regarding fitness assessments, including stratification by age and gender. Review of other uniformed services’ standards was also conducted. Recommendations were made to the Office of the Surgeon General, who reviewed and approved the recommended changes.
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What is different about the revised APFT?
The revised APFT offers more exercise options to complete the various components. In addition, there are increased options regarding how the APFT can be administered.
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Why are there different standards for the same exercises as the current APFT? Are the standards more difficult to meet than the old standards?
The expert panel reviewed the standards to ensure they are based on the most current scientific evidence. Some standards are less challenging, some standards are more challenging, and some are the same as the current APFT.
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Why is there a flexibility component added to the APFT?
Studies show that maintaining flexibility reduces risk of injury. A flexibility component has been added to ensure that officers demonstrate a minimum level of flexibility. The revised APFT provides a more comprehensive and scientifically-supported measure of overall fitness by incorporating four components of fitness: cardiorespiratory endurance, upper body endurance, core endurance, and flexibility. The flexibility component is a seated toe touch exercise which is scored as satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
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Why are only certain elliptical and bike machines approved for use as cardiorespiratory endurance options?
The new elliptical and bike cardiovascular endurance options were adopted from the Navy. The Navy has done specific testing to validate the equipment and determine offset values for several variations of the elliptical and bike to ensure the test is consistent across different types of machines. It is necessary to only use an elliptical or bike from the approved list in the APFT Procedures & Instructions or the calculation and results will not be accurate. The APFT Advisory Council will continually monitor the Navy’s approved equipment list and make recommendations to add additional equipment as the Navy expands their list.
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Will citations in the scientific literature that support APFT components be available to PHS officers?
Yes, the references used for the APFT standards are available to officers. Please see the APFT Overview on the CCMIS website for additional information.
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Can officers start using the revised exercises immediately?
The revised APFT will take effect on January 1, 2016. Officers should continue to use the current APFT through December 17, 2015. Officers can train for components of the revised APFT prior to January 1, 2016, but will need to submit the current APFT documentation until the revised APFT is in effect.
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Will the APFT be increased in frequency (example: twice a year)?
No, the frequency of the APFT will not change. Officers are required to complete one APFT every 12 months to meet basic readiness requirements each year. Officers who complete the President’s Challenge in 2015 will have to complete the APFT the following year (2016) to satisfy the basic readiness physical fitness requirements.
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Will the USPHS offer assistance to prepare officers to successfully complete the APFT?
Officers are encouraged to review information on the CCMIS website under the Readiness tab [look for Annual Physical Fitness Test (APFT)] to understand what the APFT components are, how to perform them correctly, and how they will be evaluated. At the present time, the Corps does not have the resources to implement a program to assist officers to successfully complete the APFT. However, individual categories or local Commissioned Officers Association branches may have informal programs that could be helpful. One example is a website developed by the Pharmacy PAC to help officers transition to the APFT as part of the APFT Initiative/PACE program: https://sites.google.com/site/apftinitiative/
Documentation and APFT Scoring
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How do officers determine the overall score for the APFT?
The revised APFT is scored differently from the previous APFT. The cardiorespiratory endurance, upper body endurance, and core endurance exercises each have six levels of performance: Maximum, Outstanding, Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, and Failure. Each level has a corresponding point value assigned to it. The flexibility exercise is scored as satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
In order to pass the APFT, an officer must achieve a satisfactory or better for the cardiorespiratory, upper body, and core exercises. If an officer does not meet the satisfactory level for any of these exercises, the overall APFT is considered failed. If an officer scores satisfactory on the seated toe touch, the final score is obtained by averaging the scores of the cardiorespiratory endurance, upper body endurance, and core endurance components. If an officer scores unsatisfactory on the seated toe touch, the overall APFT score will be one level lower.
For example, an officer who scores satisfactory on the seated toe touch and scores maximum on the 1.5 mile run (100 points), good on the push-ups (60 points), and excellent on the plank (75 points) would have an overall APFT score of “Excellent” (100 + 60 + 75 = 235; 235/3 = 78 points). If the officer scores unsatisfactory on the seated toe touch, the overall APFT score would be “Good.” If the average APFT score is “Satisfactory” and the officer scores unsatisfactory on the seated toe touch, the officer would fail the APFT.
Example:
1.5 mile run 100 Maximum Push-ups 60 Good Plank 75 Excellent Seated toe touch -- Unsatisfactory Total 235 Divided by 3 components 78 Run, Push-up, and Plank: Level is Excellent Factor-in seated toe touch Overall APFT Level is Good Overall APFT Levels and point values:
Maximum: 100 points (maximum score on each exercise) Outstanding: 90 to 99 points Excellent: 75 to 89 points Good: 60 to 74 points Satisfactory: 45 to 59 points Failure: under 45 points -
If officers are using the elliptical or bike option, how do they determine the corresponding 1.5 mile run level to determine the points for that exercise?
Officers may only use an authorized elliptical or stationary bike for these cardiorespiratory endurance alternatives. If an officer is unable to locate an approved machine to use, they must do the run or swim cardiorespiratory endurance exercise. The score from the elliptical or bike is calculated by adding the number of calories burned during 12 minutes of exercise plus an offset value from the machines, and then dividing that value by the officer’s body weight in pounds. Officers can use that number to determine the level obtained using Table 1 (Males) and Table 2 (Females) in the APFT Procedures. Additional information for these exercises is found in the APFT Procedures, which is located on the CCMIS website under the Readiness tab [look for Annual Physical Fitness Test (APFT)].
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How can officers obtain the Field Medical Readiness Badge (FMRB) with the revised APFT?
Officers who achieve an overall APFT level of “Excellent” on the APFT and complete the other FMRB requirements will be awarded the FMRB.
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How can officers serving in an isolated location without another officer complete the APFT?
With the revised APFT, there are options to completing the APFT without having another officer physically present. The ideal situation is an active-duty commissioned officer from the USPHS or one of the other Uniformed Services is physically present to observe each officer’s APFT (current APFT requirement). If that is not possible, an officer can view another officer’s APFT via live video through a cell phone or computer (Google hangout, iPhone Facetime, Skype, etc.). If the APFT is viewed via a live video, the officer completing the APFT will send Form PHS-7044 to the observing officer to obtain his/her signature via pdf or fax. If neither of the first two options is available to an officer, a federal employee non-officer adult can observe an officer’s APFT.
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How do officers document their APFT score?
Form PHS-7044 will be updated with the revised APFT exercises. Officers will complete the form with the signature of the testing official, enter the information into Direct Access and keep a copy in their files for their records. All officers will need to enter the email address of the testing official who views and verifies their APFT. Officers with a USPHS officer viewing their APFT in-person or via a video option will enter the observing officer’s employee ID. The Division of Commissioned Corps Personnel and Readiness (DCCPR) will periodically audit the officer and the observing officer to verify that the APFT was viewed and information entered into Direct Access is accurate.
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Why are height, body weight, and circumferences recorded on Form PHS-7044?
At this time, the USPHS uses BMI and body fat percentage standards only for commissioning officers. USPHS may incorporate body weight related standards in the future; therefore height, weight, and BMI are included on Form PHS-7044. Officers are not required to complete this information at this time. Officers will be notified in advance if body weight related standards are implemented and this information is required to complete.
Medical Waivers
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How are medical waivers obtained?
Waivers are specific to the individual components of the APFT that an officer is unable to perform. Officers with a component-specific waiver are expected to complete the other components of the APFT. For example, an officer with a waiver for the cardiorespiratory endurance component (run, swim, elliptical, or bike) due to an injury is still expected to complete the upper body endurance, core endurance, and flexibility portions of the APFT. In this case, the waiver would exempt the officer only from the cardiorespiratory endurance portion of the fitness test. See FAQ 24 for scoring information with a medical waiver. Additional information on medical waivers is found on the CCMIS website under the Medical Affairs tab.
The steps to request a medical waiver are as follows:- Officers must submit medical documentation from their attending health care provider to Medical Affairs (MA) for review and determination as to whether one or more waivers should be granted. The information can be submitted to MA by mail, sending it to the attention of the Medical Reviewing Official (MRO). Officers can also upload their information through eDOC-U by logging into the CCMIS Officer Secure Area. The MA website (look for the Medical Affairs tab on the CCMIS website) includes a complete listing of MA’s contact information for guidance and support.
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Upon receipt of a request for medical waiver consideration, the MRO will determine whether to:
- Deny the request for medical waiver;
- Grant a time-limited waiver and if so, what components of physical readiness the officer is exempted from and the duration of the medical waiver period; or
- Grant a permanent medical waiver and if so, what aspects of physical readiness the officer is exempted from and any follow-up evaluations necessary.
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What documentation is required to obtain a waiver for a medical limitation?
In order to request a medical waiver, the officer must send in a brief written narrative summarizing the purpose and timeframe of the request. Additionally, the treating provider should submit a diagnosis, recommended waiver period, and any additional relevant medical evidence supporting the request.
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Can medical waivers be permanent?
There are two types of waivers:
- Permanent medical waivers: may be granted for conditions that are unlikely to improve in the foreseeable future and are supported by medical documentation. Permanent medical waivers may be amended at any time if clinically indicated, and will automatically be reviewed at the time of an officer’s periodic medical examination. Officers should view permanent medical waivers as ‘long term’ and not ‘permanent’ as they will be reviewed at least once every 5 years by a Medical Reviewing Official and extended only upon concurrence by a MA Medical Reviewing Official.
- Time-limited medical waivers: may be granted for documented health conditions that are likely to improve within 12 months, or less, from the date that the request was received. A time-limited waiver may be extended beyond 12 months for the same condition upon which the original waiver was granted following reassessment and approval by a Medical Reviewing Official. Temporary medical waivers must specify an expiration date. If no date is specified, the profile will automatically expire at the end of the third month.
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If an officer has a medical waiver, how is the overall APFT score determined?
The overall APFT score is an average of the points obtained from each exercise completed (cardiorespiratory endurance, upper body endurance, and core endurance). If an officer has a medical waiver for one or more components, the overall score is the average of the components completed. For example, if an officer has a medical waiver for push-ups (upper body endurance), in addition to the flexibility exercise, an officer would do a cardiorespiratory endurance exercise and a core endurance exercise. If the toe touch is satisfactory, the officer’s overall score would be the average of those two exercises. If the toe touch is unsatisfactory, the overall score would be one level lower.
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What are the consequences if an officer is unable to complete the APFT and does not have a waiver?
Officers can make multiple attempts to pass the APFT, if necessary. If an officer does not successfully pass the APFT and does not have a medical waiver, the officer will not be considered basic ready and will not be compliant with the conditions of service. Officers who are non-compliant with conditions of service are not eligible for promotion or deployment and are subject to disciplinary actions including referral to retention boards.