McConnell holds wingwide fitness test

  • Published
  • By Capt. Brus E. Vidal
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. (AFPN) --  More than 1,200 Airmen from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing took their physical fitness test here April 22.

All 1,200-plus Airmen completed their run and received a series of “wingman” briefings within a four-hour span, but working out the logistics of the wingwide test took months of planning.

To complete the run, coordinators devised a diagram that synchronized waves of 100 Airmen beginning the run every 10 minutes on the flightline. After 12 waves of Airmen completed the 1.5-mile run, the mission was complete.

“Commanders, supervisors, and front-line leaders must lead the way -- through unit physical training, personal involvement and, most important, by example,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper in his Oct. 17, 2003, Chief’s Sight Picture.

Commanders, chiefs and first sergeants here embodied General Jumper’s words by lining up with their Airmen for each of the 12 waves.

But the rolling waves of runners were a small portion of the event’s logistical footprint. Maj. Trey Bailey, 22nd ARW’s intelligence chief, and Lou Stadler, health and wellness center director with the 22nd Aeromedical Dental Squadron, put the event together. They worked with the 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron and 22nd Logistics Readiness Squadron to devise a parking and transportation plan accommodating more than 1,000 vehicles while shuttling participants back and forth from the parking spots to the flightline.

“It was awesome to be part of such a great event,” Major Bailey said. “So many people helped out with setting up and executing the run, the mass briefings and the afternoon sports day events. It was great to work with them all and see their talents in action.”

While Major Bailey juggled the overall logistics, Mr. Stadler and his HAWC staff took care of the run-specific details on the flightline.

“On previous physical fitness assessments, we used a different taxiway, and run direction was determined by wind direction,” Mr. Stadler said. “The emphasis was on a straight, 1.5-mile wind-aided run. We bused individuals to the flightline where they ran an out-and-back route to accommodate crowd control, vehicle traffic and other safety issues,” he said.

The goal was to ensure everyone in the wing had a current fitness test on record since more than 1,000 Airmen here are scheduled to deploy, said Col. David Kramer, 22nd ARW vice commander.

“Like General Jumper said, this is about our preparedness to deploy and fight,” Colonel Kramer said. “Being fit to fight is an essential part of Air Force service, and this wingwide fitness testing day shows McConnell leads the way in our new, fit warrior culture.”

Besides wingwide fitness testing, Airmen here also continued to advance the “wingman” concept as outlined by General Jumper’s Oct. 21, 2004, Chief’s Sight Picture.

“Commanders -- you bear the responsibility for the total welfare of our greatest asset -- Airmen,” General Jumper said. “You are responsible for their physical, emotional, social and spiritual well-being. Use your base resources.”

After looking out for the physical well-being of their Airmen by ensuring they were fit to fight, Colonel Kramer had Capt. Eugene Moore, of the 22nd ARW’s military equal opportunity, organize a series of wingman briefings.

Captain Moore worked with people from life skills, safety, drug demand reduction program, Office of Special Investigations and other key agencies to put a comprehensive series of new wingman briefings together.

“The wingman concept is vital to the 22nd ARW way of life; it is part of our culture, the culture of Airmen,” Captain Moore said. “I wanted to make sure the briefings would raise awareness and spark discussion on the stressors we all experience, highlight support agencies available, and help Airmen to become good wingmen … the culture of Airmen depends on it.”

After the run and briefings, Airmen used the remainder of the day as a wing sports day. Organized activities included softball, walleyball, kickball, bowling, golf, basketball and dodge ball, in both tournament and leisure play formats. More than 130 Airmen also took turns participating in a paintball tournament, using an empty building which is scheduled for demolition.

No one -- regardless of rank, duty position or work shift -- was exempt from the test or wingman briefings. A handful of mission-essential Airmen and a group of Airmen who were deployed completed their tests and briefings on alternate days.