CMSAF shares insight on fitness

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Cindy Dorfner
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England (AFPN) --  Almost a year into the Air Force’s new fitness program, the service’s senior enlisted Airman said he is happy with some things, but said the program is “not where it needs to be yet.”

“(Air Force chief of staff Gen. John P. Jumper and I) are pleased, but we’re not so naïve to think you can change a culture in one year,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray during a visit here and at nearby Royal Air Force Lakenheath Nov. 27 and 28.

The chief said Air Force fitness centers have seen a 30-percent increase in usage in the past year.

“As we go around bases today, we’re seeing much more activity. People are out running, and they’re in the gym,” he said. “Airmen tell me they’re in the best shape they’ve ever been, and they feel a lot better.”

The chief said more emphasis is being placed on fitness resources, such as new and renovated fitness centers and getting the right equipment in the facilities.

“But,” Chief Murray said, “you don’t need special equipment to go out and run, and do pushups and crunches. It does help to have weights and treadmills and those sorts of things available to use and increase fitness levels.”

What will also help, he said, is for Airmen to incorporate this lifestyle change into their normal schedules.

“The program hasn’t been fully embraced enough. Some have taken the test, and they’ve put too much emphasis on the test instead of making working out a part of the normal routine,” the chief said.

“I asked a first sergeant about his squadron’s fitness program. He said, ‘Well, we’ve just about got everyone tested.’ I said, ‘OK, but tell me about your physical fitness program. I want to know what you’re doing to get people out there to work out.’ He couldn’t tell me,” Chief Murray said.

The program is more than just a test, the chief said. With the number of Airmen deployed to combat environments, it is about readiness and being able to function in austere conditions. He also said it is important for Airmen to maintain a good, healthy lifestyle to fend off disease and medical problems.

While Airmen adapt to the new lifestyle of being fit to fight, the fitness program has been under review during its inaugural year. Chief Murray said there will be some changes, but not many.

“I can tell you what not to expect, and that is major changes. The test will not become easier than it is,” he said. “This program is about what it takes to maintain a good fitness level.”

One change Airmen can expect deals specifically with the Air Force instruction governing the program. The chief said the instruction will make clearer the actions commanders can take toward those not meeting the standards.

However, Chief Murray said, Air Force leaders must make sure the instruction and standards are “right for our people.” (Courtesy of U.S. Air Forces in Europe News Service)