We must be fit to take turn on front lines

  • Published
  • By Maj. Richard Ess
  • 333rd Training Squadron
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFPN) --  When I joined the Air Force many years ago, the 1.5-mile run was the measure of fitness for Airmen.

At the time, one of my coworkers was slightly overweight and a heavy smoker. He exercised little or not at all, but every year he'd tough it out at the run and manage to pass the test. He crossed the finish line wheezing and gasping for breath, but he made it.

Years later, the Air Force adopted the bicycle test as its measure of fitness. That same coworker had to start exercising more often. At least for this guy, the bike test was successful, since it forced him to become more fit.

Today, we have a new, more rigorous fitness standard.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper, in a series of Sight Pictures released last year, talked about the new fitness program as "preparing to meet the physical demands of our expeditionary force" and "getting fit to fight."

I recently returned from an expeditionary deployment to Iraq. To me, those words really hit home.

During the deployment, many of us had to travel to other bases in and around Baghdad. We drove in open Humvees in temperatures that soared to more than 120 degrees, keeping our weapons ready to defend the convoy.

This wasn't the time to think about getting fit.

We're an expeditionary Air Force, and we all need to be fit.

In the Air Force in which I grew up, I always assumed I'd rely on the security forces to defend my base. That just isn't the way we do business today in a deployed environment. All Airmen are expected to play an active role in the defense of their base.

In Baghdad, during the highest force protection conditions, Airmen, Sailors and Soldiers were all expected to take shifts at the gates. Essentially, we were on the front line.

Every Airman needs to be prepared, fit and trained to take on this role.