CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Team Charleston, last month I put another successful fitness test behind me.
Like me, I'm sure many of you breathe a sigh of relief when it's completed. We're relieved to be good for another year. Now, we can take a break ... right?
Well, for me that's a fleeting thought, a daydream really. After which, I awake to the reality that we can't exercise just to pass the fitness test. As professional Airmen, our standards require that we commit to maintaining a healthy lifestyle with a regular exercise regimen to keep us fit and strong. And fitness is what the annual test is intended to assess, right? The Air Force mandated the current fitness program to ensure that the force was "Fit to Fight." The program was designed with the notion that we would engage in regular exercise both individually and in our units. That hasn't always been the case.
Throughout the years, the Air Force fitness program has undergone a few changes. When I enlisted, the measure for fitness consisted primarily of a 1.5 mile run, which basically tested a person's ability to muster enough energy to suffer through the test. Then the run was replaced with cycle ergometry, which measured fitness using a stationary bike. The intent was to assess how efficiently a person's body uses oxygen. More recently, the cycle gave way to our current fitness program, which measures a person's aerobic capacity (timed run), body composition (measurements), and strength (crunches and push ups) to determine physical fitness. This program includes mandatory training at least three days a week. A successful score is also a standard that has been integrated into performance reporting. These differences make it, by far, the most comprehensive program we've ever had.
Unlike the earlier programs that lacked a concerted effort to encourage us to live fit, our current program requires a consistent commitment to a healthy lifestyle that includes regular fitness training. This not only prepares us for the annual test, but it also keeps us "Fit to Fight." If your fitness training is going well, I challenge you to be a good Wingman for someone who could benefit from your help. With the ongoing war on terror, more than ever before, our fitness and endurance is vital to the Air Force mission.
I would also like to congratulate our senior master sergeant selectees: Master Sgts. Ramseur Bethea, Antonio Brock, William Brown II, Nolan Massaroni, Eric Miller, Timothy Miller, Barry Moorefield, Steven Mossbarger, Michael Pawlak, Stephen Putnam, Larry Vendrely and Kenneth Williams. Your hard work, diligence and sacrifice have paid off. Remember, your selection for promotion to the top two percent of the enlisted ranks brings with it increased responsibility. Roll up your sleeves, your work has only just begun. I wish you continued success in your careers.
Also, this week General Hawkins, 18th Air Force commander, promoted one of Team Charleston's sharpest NCOs under the Stripes for Exceptional Performance program. Our newest master sergeant is Daryl Hillman, 16th Airlift Squadron. Congratulations to Sergeant Hillman and his family.
Special thanks to my shadow, Airman 1st Class Karla Pierson, 437th Logistics Readiness Squadron. We had a very exciting day. Airman Pierson was curious and motivated to learn how the day of a command chief unfolds. I suspect she will prove to be one of our finest future leaders.
Team Charleston - Take the Fight to the Enemy!