Fitness Reports in 30 Minutes Joel M. Schofer, MD, MBA, CPE, FAAEM CDR, MC, USN Emergency Medicine Specialty Leader

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Fitrep Prep Document

Track Your Accomplishments

Reporting Senior’s Cumulative Average (RSCA) Look at a Performance Summary Record Yours A friend who received a fitrep in the same rank Ask Your chain of command Fitrep coordinator Reporting Senior – they can look it up on BOL

Performance Summary Report INDIVIDUAL TRAIT AVERAGE SUMMARY GROUP TRAIT AVERAGE REPORTING SENIOR CUMULATIVE AVERAGE All officers of that grade (regardless of designator) that the reporting senior has rated.

Block 29 Primary Duty Box

Blocks 33-39 – Your Trait Average Block 33 – Professional Expertise Board eligible – 4.0 Board certified – 5.0 Block 38 – Leadership – Give yourself a 5.0! Block 39 – Tactical Performance - NOB Blocks 34-37 – Balance out so you are above the RSCA!

Blocks 33-38 – Final Review Do not decrease in any of these blocks unless: You were selected for promotion You were promoted Your reporting senior or command changed Even if you are in one of the above situations, still try not to decrease in any blocks If you have any doubt of your marks, round up!

Block 40 – Career Milestones 1-2 career recommendations Consistent with your rank Reflective of your desired career path What are the next 1-2 positions you want to get that would advance your career? Do not enter very long-range goals (e.g., do not recommend yourself for XO when you are a LT)

Block 41 – The Narrative

“The Tank” Not a real board

Make Fitreps Easy to Read Short opening statement with soft breakout or forced distribution statement (if applicable) White space Bullet Closing statement with promotion/command recommendation

Soft Breakout Statement that ranks you against a larger group than your official competitive group My number #1 LCDR out of 25 of all designators. #3 of 15 LCDRs regardless of designator. In the top 10% of over 200 LCDRs I’ve rated across all designators. #1 of 17 hand-picked officers on my staff.

Forced Distribution Statement Useful when you don’t get the EP My #1 MP, would have been EP but ranked against highly competitive senior officers. Would have been an EP but ranked against the Director for Medical Services. If not for forced distribution...

Block 41 Content Space is limited Always write in the past tense Don’t repeat block 29 Don’t mention your name Always write in the past tense Don’t use medical abbreviations without explaining them Every board has a line officer on it Don’t repeat bullets from your last fitrep Quantify whenever you can Use language from the convening order

Closing Statement End with a recommendation for the next promotion and assignment/position If you are in-zone for O6, you should try to include a command recommendation Reporting senior may have a standard closing EPs get the “strongest recommendation” for promotion MPs get a “strong recommendation” Ps get a “recommendation” for promotion

Block 42 – Individual Promotion Recommendation In general, you’ll be NOB if you are at the command < 90 days Give yourself at least one higher grade than you think you deserve! Give yourself an EP if you are the only officer getting a fitrep in your competitive category Do not downgrade yourself from your last fitrep Make sure you “break out to the right” and don’t “move to the left” on your PSR

“Breaking Out to the Right”

“Moving to the Left”

Air Bubble? DUINS

When “Moving to the Left” is OK You get promoted You change competitive categories, like when you graduate from residency and stay at your training institution You move to a new command or get a new reporting senior

Final Review - Critical Fitrep Mistakes Not getting an EP when you are 1/1 (air bubble) Explain in block 41 if that is the CO’s policy No one getting the EP Moving to the left without an acceptable reason Not getting a 5.0 in Leadership Giving yourself a lower trait average than the reporting senior’s average

MCCareer.org

Fitrep Prep Document

Questions?