Ankle Injury Six Days Before the Fitness Test
A cadet in week 14 of a 22-week academy sprains his ankle during defensive tactics. The clinic restricts him from running or weight-bearing exercise for 10 days and orders ice and re-evaluation. The academy's final physical fitness test is in 6 days; a passing score is required to graduate, and each cadet gets one remediation attempt, usually two weeks later. The cadet says he can tape the ankle and run because he cannot afford to be recycled and his family has already moved. His squad leader says the cadet has been reliable and asks the instructor to 'work with him.' The cadet's medical paperwork is valid, but he has not been cleared for running. The instructor must decide whether to let him test, delay the test, or start recycle paperwork, and what to document.
1. What should the instructor do about the upcoming fitness test, and why?
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Medical restriction controls. The cadet is not cleared for running, so allowing him to take the fitness test in six days would violate the clinic's order and expose him and the academy to harm. The instructor should immediately pull him from running and weight-bearing drills, notify the academy medical officer and chain of command, and document the restriction, the cadet's request, and the squad leader's comment. The instructor should not accept the cadet's own taping plan as clearance. The appropriate options are to request a medical re-evaluation before the test date or to schedule the test after the 10-day restriction, if policy allows, and to start the recycle paperwork only if the timeline cannot be met. The decision should be based on written medical clearance, not on family hardship or staffing convenience.
2. What documentation and fairness considerations should guide the recycle or delay decision?
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Document the injury report, clinic note, duty restriction, counseling session, and every communication with the cadet and squad leader. The file should show that the cadet was told why he could not test and what he needed to do to return. If he is recycled, the documentation should establish that the recycle was driven by the medical restriction and the fixed test date, not by discipline. If he is allowed to test later, the file should include the medical clearance and the adjusted graduation plan. The instructor should also avoid promising that a remediation attempt will be available, because the policy gives one attempt and scheduling is not guaranteed. Fairness requires the same rule for every injured cadet.