U.S. Forces Fitness

Story by Airman 1st Class Keith Holcomb 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs Powerlifting is a sport in which an individual performs a single repetition over numerous sets of the squat, bench press and deadlift to the best of their ability; and during competition the individual with the highest combined weight, in their respective category, is the winner. During the past several months, 2nd Lt. Brett Albertson and Staff Sgt. Thomas Buena from Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, have been training for the 2019 USA Powerlifting Military Nationals, which took place March 16 in Killeen, Texas. With over 75 competitors present, Buena finished runner up in his category, tying the winner with a combined weight of 1,593 pounds but lost the tiebreaker which is determined by the lighter competitor. Albertson was on track to place first in his class, however none of his squats counted. He said he was disappointed, but it was part of a great learning experience. Albertson and Bue

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Micah Blechner  377th Theater Sustainment Command U.S. Service men and women stationed in the greater New Orleans area earned the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency (GAFBMP) on board Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS JRB) New Orleans March 23. 120 Servicemembers of the initial pool of 240 participants earned the GAFBMP and were presented their award during a ceremony at the NAS JRB Fitness Center at sunset.  Appropriately, a feast of bratwurst followed. “What a great two days,” said Lt. Col. Robert Wagner, training officer of 377th Theater Sustainment Command (TSC) and event coordinator.  “All the Services were represented and all who came spent their blood, sweat and tears to really earn this badge. The GAFBMP is one of several hundred foreign awards approved for wear on U.S. military uniforms.  The GAFBMP, however, is not merely handed out to participants; it is earned through the completion of a strenuous physical

Story by 1st Lt. Jessica Clarke Oregon National Guard Public Affairs Office SALEM, Oregon - Since 1858, the U.S. Army has maintained fundamental physcial fitness standard for Soldiers..Over the years, with multlple revisions, and changes, the importance of physical fitness is a benchmark to guage the readiness of the force. According to Gen. Stephen Townsend, head of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, “The current Army Physical Fitness Test measures muscular strength and endurance, but the existing fitness test does not adequately measure the physical attributes needed for the battlefield.”  To prepare 21st Century Soldiers for challenges on the battlefield, the U.S. Army is in the field testing phase of the new Army Combat Fitness Test. The Oregon Army National Guard’s 741st Brigade Engineer Battalion (BEB), 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, is one of just 63 selected batallions taking part in the testing phase. The participants are made up of all three U.S. Army co

Story by Airman 1st Class Marcus Taylor 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Team Little Rock welcomed Alpha Warrior professional athletes to teach a course and educate U.S. Air Force Physical Training Leaders on how to properly use the Alpha Warrior Battle Rig at Little Rock Air Force Base, March 5-6, 2019. The Alpha Warrior program, managed by the Air Force Services Activity, is an Air Force three-phase fitness initiative focused on the conditioning and readiness of Airmen. The course shows PTLs and fitness center staff members how to incorporate Alpha Warrior equipment into daily workouts, not just competitive runs through the rig. “We’ve built a fitness curriculum consisting of strength, conditioning and cardio,” said Chad Leith, Alpha Warrior director of performance. “Everything’s mixed into one training regimen that you can use daily.” The battle rig is made up of 12 modifiable exercises catered to every level of fitness experience. The rig operates around the idea of fun

Story by  Spc. Amy Carle   69th Public Affairs Detachment As the sun peeked over the hills in Dublin, California, over 60 Soldiers from the 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion dashed across a field of artificial grass at Camp Parks, lifting weights and throwing medicine balls. Army National Guard leaders from across California and Nevada had come out to observe the Soldiers as they participated in their first formal Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) of 2019. The ACFT is scheduled to replace the current Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) in the fall of 2020, and the 223rd is one of nine National Guard units implementing the pilot field test. The ACFT is a six-event test with a 600 point gender and age neutral scale. Unlike the Army’s current physical assessment, which only measures aerobic and muscular endurance, the ACFT also assesses anaerobic endurance and muscular strength. “The test increases physical fitness and endurance compared to what we did before,” said Comman

Story by Seaman Jack Lepien USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73) Through six strenuous and grueling weeks of dieting and exercising, Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) have pushed themselves and their bodies to become better in the hopes of winning the Deep Six Fitness Challenge. The Deep Six Challenge, a command program designed to motivate Sailors to lose weight through diet and exercise by offering prizes, came to a close Friday, March 8, leaving six Sailors standing as the champions. When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, the top three men and top three women were declared the victors based on weight loss, body mass index management, and number of fitness classes attended. Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Julian Fernandez and Airman Lorena Garcia won first place, Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Alex Sherwood and Machinist Mate (Nuclear) 3rd Class Tammi Cagle won second place, and Interior Communications Electri

Story by Laurie Pearson Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow What are you doing? Training for a marathon?” one officer teasingly asked Ruth Clemans, wife of Commanding Officer Craig Clemans, as she entered Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow recently. With a smile, she answered, “Yes... Yes I am.” In fact, the avid runner is currently training for a marathon slated for June 22 in Duluth, Minn. “I chose it because it's a relatively flat course along the coast of Lake Superior,” Clemans said. “I have a time goal to achieve so that I can qualify for the Boston Marathon, and my coach recommended it.” Although she began training with her coach two and a half years ago when she and her family lived in Florida, her athletic running career began when she was just a kid. “I started running with my Dad after work when I was 12,” she said. “He would take me on short runs through our neighborhood in Fairfax, Virginia and encourage me in my relationship with God and running. That y

Story by Airman 1st Class Kristine Gruwell 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Explosive Ordnance Disposal Airmen assigned to the 19th Civil Engineer Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, are preparing for the new Tier 2 Physical Fitness Test on which they will be officially tested in the near future. The Tier 2 test examines precise critical fitness capabilities of Airmen with specific jobs making sure they are always fit-to-fight at home and in contested environments.  “This test is necessary to keep all EOD Airmen in the best possible shape, and may also help identify unreported injuries,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Colton Lien, 19th CES EOD team leader.  EOD Airmen from across the Air Force, including Lien, participated in an evaluation of the test at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in September 2018 to assess how Airmen in this career field will do on the test before it becomes the standard. The Air Force Exercise Science Unit, located at Joint Base San A

Story by Lt. Col. David Olson NATO-Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) The U.S. Army Contingent assigned to NATO Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) Headquarters practiced the new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) on Feb. 22, 2019, to gain a better understanding of the events. Even though the small contingent of approximately 30 U.S. Army soldiers is stationed at a remote location 5,282 miles east of the Pentagon and several countries away from their higher headquarters, they continue to follow U.S. military standards by remaining physically fit. There are six events in the new ACFT: 3-repetition maximum deadlift, standing power throw, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, leg tuck and the 2-mile run. A noncommissioned officer explained each event to the soldiers and provided a demonstration except for the 2-mile run. After seeing demonstrations on the five new events, the soldiers formed into five groups, rotated through each station and practiced the new events. Maj. Patrick VanKirk, t

Story by Michael Strasser Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs Dozens of Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, were pulling weighted sleds, running with kettlebells and cranking out deadlifts at the gym one recent frosty morning at Fort Drum. This is nothing new or particularly eye-catching at Atkins Functional Fitness Facility where such activity is common, and patrons can rope climb, flip tires and row to their heart’s content. What was different was their reason why. As Soldiers from across the 10th Mountain Division (LI) condition themselves for the new Army Combat Fitness Test, many are finding the space at Atkins to be the best training grounds until the snow melts and temperatures rise above freezing. “With our training schedule and deployments, we are trying to do what we can now so everyone can be successful on the ACFT,” said Staff Sgt. Sergio Castillo, with B Company, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat