In a press release on Thursday, the Air Force announced that all running and walking courses used by the service for physical testing must be measured and recertified by Oct. 31 of this year.
Physical testing for airmen requires them to complete a timed 1.5-mile run, or 2-kilometer walk if exempt. Upon evaluation of several Air Force testing courses, local inspectors found that upwards of 60 airmen have failed the fitness assessment in the last decade who may have met the required time if the course they were running had been the correct regulation length.
The course at Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas, last measured in 2010, was recently found to 85 feet longer than required, resulting in false scores for all who were tested there and failing scores for 18 airmen who would likely have passed on a regulation course.
Similarly, at Hanscom AFB, Mass., 41 failures may have been prevented had the course on base not measured 360 feet too long. The track was last measured in 2008.
In answer to an email from military.com, Air Force spokeswoman Brooke Bzozowske wrote, “If still on active duty, fitness scores were adjusted to the correct passing score. If there were any personnel actions taken resulting from the inaccurate failures, airmen should work with their chain of command, Force Support Squadron and legal office, and potentially the Air Force Personnel Center to correct records.” Air Force officials from the bases at Goodfellow and Hanscom are working with the Air Force Personnel Center to notify airmen who received a faulty failed test score of the mistake.
For future base inspections, the Air Force inspector general plans to instate a required measurement of physical testing courses to prevent further test score mishaps.
MORE FROM AB: Exacting Design Standards Spur Quality Track Construction
