Can BN leadership drop my Airborne status?

CPL Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 18:54:04 -0500

Just got word from my smoke that my BN CDR and CSM are pushing to remove my airborne status and send me to a non Airborne unit. This is because I’ve been on profile for my knee for the past 10 months, yet I have been still jumping and taking PT tests, etc. Do they have the authority to take it away even if I’m unwilling and technically not medically terminated?

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Nov 5 at 2018 7:01 PM

SGT Ben Keen — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 19:01:34 -0500

I honestly don't think they can take away your status as long as you are meeting the requirements to maintain it. SGM Erik Marquez / SSG(P) James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" , do you have any insight into this situation?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 5 at 2018 7:29 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 19:29:16 -0500

That doesn’t make sense. I understand that you’re on a profile but if you’re still meeting the requirements to maintain your status. Either way HRC is the only ones that can remove the SQI “P” from your records. If that is the commands intent they will need to provide some justification.

Response by Sgt Wayne Wood made Nov 5 at 2018 7:48 PM

Sgt Wayne Wood — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 19:48:00 -0500

Sounds weird...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 5 at 2018 7:55 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 19:55:54 -0500

Your Battalion leadership cannot take away your Airborne identifier. You can request to have it removed, or you can be found medically unfit to keep it. A temporary profile is not enough to remove you from Airborne status permanently. You would need a permanent profile that prohibits you from Airborne operations. The other option to remove it is that you must request to have it removed on a 4187. No one can make that request for you, at least not for being on a temporary profile.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 5 at 2018 11:00 PM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 23:00:24 -0500

Which BN/RGT are you in? 319, 321?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2018 12:47 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 00:47:50 -0500

If you can still jump and take PT tests under the conditions of your profile, then what limitations on duty does your profile actually describe? Seems like if you are cleared to do those two things, you should be cleared for about anything.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2018 6:29 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 06:29:45 -0500

They can not take the identifier, but they can remove you from jump status. Guess who signs the 4187.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2018 9:34 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 09:34:57 -0500

Ues, they can reassign you.
It may not be about the profile.
Are you violating the profile when you take a PT test and/or jump?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2018 4:27 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 16:27:57 -0500

CPL Rayel, well you never know how thick the ice is until you walk on it...what I mean is I think there's a lot more here that we can see. The Bn Leadership wants as many Troopers to exit the aircraft as possible to keep the readiness of the unit high. 10 months on profile...that the red flag, its time to make a decision what to do about your knee...can it be fixed? How long will it take? The Bn leadership is looking at this as a readiness issue, not singling you out to take you off status? You really need to focus on your knee, once that is resolved, you jump status will resolve itself. Good luck!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2018 4:32 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 16:32:31 -0500

They can move you, but your SQI of P will stay. It took me years to have my P removed and somehow it just went back on my record.
Let your knee heal and go back.

Response by CPL Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2018 4:47 PM

CPL Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 16:47:24 -0500

*Update* After my 1SG taking my actual profile saying I am able to do airborne ops and have no deploying limiting conditions and the vouching of my CMD team I’ve been told to not worry about it. I appreciate everyone’s responses!

Response by SFC Matthew Parker made Nov 7 at 2018 12:56 AM

SFC Matthew Parker — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 00:56:03 -0500

Cpl,
The easy answer is yes, your command can move you to a non-airborne unit.
AR 40–501 • 14 December 2007
5–5. Medical fitness standards for retention for Airborne duty, Ranger duty, and Special Forces duty
Retention of an individual in Airborne duty, Ranger duty, and Special Forces duty will be based on—
a. His or her continued demonstrated ability to perform satisfactorily his or her duty as an Airborne officer or enlisted Soldier, Ranger, or Special Forces member.
b. The effect upon the individual’s health and well-being by remaining on Airborne, Ranger, or Special Forces duty

Your commander can say your knee being under protective medical status (profile) demonstrates you are not fit for retention in an airborne position. Are you running? Has your run score dropped? When you finish a run do you require medical care, brace, Motrin etc. Its subjective by your commander.

Part b. is the killer paragraph, "The effect upon the individual’s health and well-being by remaining on Airborne duty" if the Commander feels continuing to jump will have a negative affect on your knee he/she can have you reassigned.
I used this regulation to convince my commander to reassign a soldier to a desk in the S-1 pending a physical because we suspected he had a medical condition. Just suspected. Later we found he had a heart condition during a stress test and he was chaptered.

Your commander can also flag you for your knee, especially if the Commander believes that your profile is getting extended because of non-compliance with medical directives (rehab) (physical limitations) "through the Soldier’s fault as determined by the commander" You said " I’ve been on profile for my knee for the past 10 months, yet I have been still jumping and taking PT tests, etc"
Does your profile say no jumping? Does it say run at own pace or no running? You're done, by being "hooha" you may have gotten yourself sent to a non-airborne position.

AR 600–8–2 • 11 May 2016
2–3. Circumstances requiring a transferable Flag
A Soldier flagged under the provisions of this paragraph may be reassigned to another unit by following the guidance in paragraph 2–8. The specific actions listed below require initiation of a transferable Flag (see table 2–1). More than one Flag may be required concurrently. Examples of circumstances requiring transferable Flags include—
b. “Army Physical Fitness Test failure” (Flag code J). Initiate a Flag when a Soldier fails a record APFT or when, through the Soldier’s fault as determined by the commander, the Soldier fails to take the APFT within the time prescribed by existing regulations, or when directed by the commanding officer (as provided for in AR 350–1).

Take the reassignment and go heal your knee, when its ready you can return to status. They can't take your wings, that's forever, so accept what your Commander is trying to do for you and come back better and stronger.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2018 12:17 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 12:17:17 -0500

I work in Robinson and see your situation frequently - I assume you’ve been through PT, all the imaging, ortho etc? You would have to fail a fit for duty exam, at which point they’d likely start pushing for MEB. I could be wrong, but I believe that decision would have to come from your brigade providers.