UPT Question

[xsurfer]

My son just graduated from the AFA and has been assigned to Columbus Air Base for UPT. A couple of days ago, he took a fall hiking and broke his tibia just above the ankle. Surgery is required, which will be done 12 June. I think he is due to report to Columbus late July or early August. According to the doctor, he will be non weight-bearing for 8 weeks after surgery and then able to resume normal activity in approximately 12 weeks. Will his physical limitations from this injury early on in UPT negatively affect his status in the program?

 

[Stealth_81]

It will depend on when his actual UPT start date is. All of the USAFA grads will report at the end of July, but their UPT start dates are spread out from August to March at 3-week intervals. If he is on casual status for a few months after he reports he should be able to physically recover in time to start UPT normally. If he is scheduled for one of the earlier classes (August or September) he will probably be pushed back into a later class until he is 100% recovered. There are physicals and physical testing that needs to be passed before they can start UPT and he would have to be recovered enough to pass.

He should contact the Columbus Student Training Squadron and talk to them about this so that they can answer any questions and perhaps re-schedule things now. Also, if he is to be scheduled for a casual status job while he is waiting they may have to switch him to something that isn't physically demanding while he recovers. (ie: A desk job vs. refueling planes on the ramp)

Stealth_81

 

[xsurfer]

Thanks Stealth. Now that you mention it, I remember him saying something about casual status when he gets to Columbus... so I do think he will be in a later class. He also said something about going to Pueblo Colorado shortly after reporting to Columbus, but I don't remember the details regarding that.

 

[Pima]

Pueblo is IFS. They waive this school if you have a PPL.

It is called Initial Flight Screening. They are there for approx. a month. As Stealth stated he should call Columbus because they may need to move his IFS start date if he is considered DNIF due to the surgery.