New year's resolution: Adopt new culture of fitness, healthy living Published Jan. 11, 2010 By Col. Stephen N. Whiting 21st Space Wing commander PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- In just a few short weeks, the 21st Winter Olympics will open in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Feb. 12. As with previous Olympics, millions of us will be inspired by these outstanding athletes who fulfill the Olympics motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger." Those of us who are Airmen will also be reminded of the incredible feats that can be achieved when people dedicate themselves to fitness and excellence in their field of competition. And 2010 should be a year in which all 21st Space Wing Airmen refocus themselves on fitness and healthy living. As we enter the New Year, all Airmen should now be aware that significant changes are occurring in the Air Force's fitness program. In order to strengthen the Air Force's culture of fitness and healthy living, the Chief of Staff has directed that, effective Jan. 1, 2010, all Airmen will now take the fitness test every six months. For the first half of 2010, the fitness test will formally be scored using the fitness standards that have been in effect for several years now. Airmen will also, however, be unofficially scored based on the new fitness standards that will take effect July 1. When Airmen take their second fitness test for 2010, commencing July 1, the new fitness standards will officially be in effect and the test will be administered by a trained, full-time cadre assigned to the installation Fitness Assessment Cell. I highly encourage all Airmen to familiarize themselves with these new standards, and in particular the requirement that Airmen meet minimums in all components of the fitness test in order to receive a passing score, a requirement that is not in the current standards. While we in the Air Force still have work to do to firmly establish the culture of fitness and healthy living, I think it is encouraging to review how far we have come over the last 20 years. When I was first commissioned, there was no such thing as unit physical fitness training. Perhaps there were individual units in the Air Force that conducted unit PT, but I never was assigned to one, I never saw one, and I never even heard of one. Yes, there were intramurals, and the occasional unit football, softball or volleyball game, but there was never unit PT. Not even once did I experience it prior to 2004. When I first was commissioned, we had an annual fitness test that was composed of a mile and half run. This test was augmented by regular weigh-ins and the weight management program that ensured Airmen were in compliance with rigid height and weight standards (weight lifters in particular complained that the standards did not account for their unique body types). Over time, the 1.5 mile run was phased out in favor of a bike test that measured heart rate in order to determine "VO2 MAX" as an indicator of overall fitness. From personal experience, the tracking and standardization of these annual fitness tests varied from base to base, and neither test contributed to an overall culture of fitness. We also never had PT uniforms prior to 2004. During the rare times that unit personnel came together for some fitness activity, everyone wore their own civilian workout attire. There were no Air Force approved uniform items, so there was no standardization and little unit esprit de corps related to fitness. Even in the first few years following the establishment of the revitalized Air Force Fitness Program in 2004 which mandated units hold regular mandatory unit PT, the PT uniform was not widely available - so again we had to rely on civilian, non-standardized attire. This brief review of the Air Force's history related to fitness programs during my career is not intended to imply that the Air Force did not emphasize and encourage fitness. From my first day at the Air Force Academy, the Air Force as an institution has encouraged me to be fit and healthy. And the Air Force has always provided fitness centers on its bases to encourage a culture of fitness...but these were normally built with a primary emphasis on large spaces that only a few personnel could use at the same time like basketball, racquetball and squash courts. Aerobics and strength training were frequently afterthoughts and confined to small rooms or hallways. In a prescient move in the mid-90s, however, the Air Force started a recapitalization program of its fitness centers that stressed aerobics and strength training, while still providing some large spaces for team events. Contrast the status of fitness in the Air Force described above with what we find today. We now test twice a year, and we will soon test using new standards that require passing all components of the test...and the test will be administered by trained, full-time staff members. We now have unit PT to build esprit de corps and overall unit fitness (and we will continue to have this in the 21st Space Wing), and we have professional-appearing Air Force PT uniforms that will continue to improve in the near future. We also use fitness test results as a factor to be formally rated on officer and enlisted performance reports, and we hold those accountable who do not meet the standards. Further, our fitness centers have never been busier, and we now have better equipment and more space for aerobic and strength training. Finally, as we all can attest, fitness is a topic every Airman talks about frequently and participates in regularly...it is becoming a firm part of our culture. With all the progress the Air Force has made over the years, we still have more to do. The nation is facing a significant increase in adult and child obesity, and we are seeing the readiness effects of that across the Air Force and the other armed services. However, building and maintaining a culture of fitness and healthy living requires more than just passing the semi-annual fitness test. It also requires being smarter about our eating choices, reassessing our relationship with tobacco and alcohol, and developing healthy and positive relationships with our loved ones and co-workers. We have resources in the wing to address all of these areas, and I encourage you to visit the Health and Wellness Center to learn more. So, enjoy the upcoming Vancouver Winter Olympics, and make a New Year's resolution to improve your personal culture of fitness and healthy living. Remember, a fit force is a ready force.