Andersen takes aim: '90 at 90' Published Jan. 15, 2012 By Airman 1st Class Whitney Tucker 36th Wing Public Affairs ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam (AFNS) -- Maintaining peak combat readiness begins and ends with healthy, motivated and well-trained Airmen. To ensure no one is left behind, base leaders are seeking to implement a new program pushing service members to the pinnacle of physical fitness. The new initiative, called "90 at 90", was set in motion by 36th Wing commander Brig. Gen. John Doucette, and calls for 90 percent of active-duty Airmen here to achieve a 90 percent or higher on the Air Force physical training test by the end of 2012. "This program is important because it shifts wellness and fitness into focus on a grander scale," said Chief Master Sgt. Margarita Overton, the 36th Wing command chief. "It calls us, as a wing, to demand more of ourselves and our wingmen, helping one another to succeed and holding each other accountable for the decisions that affect our health and the Air Force mission. As Airmen, we should be fully committed to the highest lifestyle actions." Currently, a little more than half of 36th Wing Airmen are scoring in the 90th percentile. In order to boost these numbers, members can take advantage of programs offered by the fitness center and fitness assessment cell staffs. "For us to achieve this goal, it will take a lot of hard work from individuals," said Capt. Jesse Calland, the 36th Force Support Squadron Sustainment Services Flight commander. "Unit PT is primarily intended for team-building purposes and should not be relied upon as an Airman's sole source of exercise. Service members who intend to excel must go the extra mile and work out in their free time." "The Air Force provides all the tools necessary to achieve peak physical performance," he said. "From well-rounded entrees at the dining facility to certified exercise physiologists, it is just up to us to take advantage of these opportunities and make the right choices for our health." If Airmen of the 36th Wing rise to the challenge they can expect to reap more than just physical benefits, Doucette said. "Because 90 percent of Airmen would only test once a year, fewer man-hours will be demanded of Airmen at the fitness assessment cell," Doucette said. "Airmen will also enjoy long term health improvements, increased readiness across the board and not to mention, bragging rights for being the only Air Force installation to achieve this goal." For some, a near-perfect PT score may seem out of reach and unrealistic. However, according to the wing commander, no goal is too lofty for this team of dedicated Airmen. "This initiative is extreme, and it will challenge Airmen of the 36th Wing in a way they have never been challenged before," the general said. "I have seen the servicemen and women here achieve things no one would have thought possible, and I have no doubt this goal is within reach."