U.S. Forces Fitness

Story by Spc. Andrew Jo 40th Public Affairs Detachment FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - A United States Army Physical Fitness School Mobile Training Team traveled to Fort Campbell to train 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) leaders how to properly conduct the upcoming service wide Army Combat Fitness Test. The ACFT is set to soon replace the Army Physical Fitness Test, which has been the Army physical fitness measurement standard since 1980. The new test includes six events: maximum deadlift, standing power throw, hand-release push-ups, sprint-drag-carry, leg tuck and a two-mile Run. The MTT is visiting Army installations around the world to help Soldiers prepare and train for the new Army fitness standard. “The purpose of this week’s event is to train [non-commissioned officers] and junior officers on the ACFT, so they can go back to their units and prepare them once the ACFT is a test of record,” said 1st Lt. Laura Thompson, ACFT MTT officer in charge. First, the MTT personnel b

Story by Chuck Cannon Fort Polk Public Affairs Office FORT POLK, La. — More than 25 Fort Polk Soldier/athletes spent April 23 and 24 learning to be CrossFit Level 1 instructors to provide coaching and guidance for the members of their respective units. Chuck Carswell, one of three instructors with CrossFit Inc. who led the class, said the course teaches CrossFit methodology and how to incorporate functionality in daily physical training. “The new Army PT test involves more functionality and looks a bit more like what Soldiers would see out on the battlefield,” Carswell said. “This training will give them the foundational components to execute movements that will not only help them pass their PT test, but also make them more functional in the field. They’ll have the capacity — fitness wise — to be able to respond appropriately.” Carswell said the level of functionality CrossFit brings to the Army’s daily fitness is probably a little bit higher than it’s been in the past. “We

Story by Capt. Fernando Ochoa 84th Training Command FORT KNOX, Ky. – The 84th Training Command conducted a Combined Best Warrior Competition at Fort Knox, Kentucky April 8-11, that included Soldiers from eight different commands.      The Best Warrior Competition is an annual competition overseen by the Department of the Army as a means of identifying and recognizing the finest Soldiers from the Active and Reserve Components of the United States Army.      This Combined Best Warrior Competition was the qualifying event for non-commissioned officers and junior enlisted Soldiers from across the country. The winners from each command will advance to compete in the upcoming USARC Best Warrior Competition in June at Fort Bragg, North Carolina from June 23 – 29, 2019.        In addition to the 84th Training Command, the 80th TC, 88th Readiness Division, 99th RD, 81st RD, 377th Theater Sustainment Command, Army Reserve Careers Division and the Army Reserve Aviation Command sent So

U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command Story by Jason Cutshaw REDSTONE ARSENAL, Alabama – One Soldier keeps fighting to inspire his unit as he aspires to be a champion.  Spc. Gadiel Mendez Andino, a satellite communication systems operator and maintainer with Company B, 53rd Signal Battalion, stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland, began boxing in May 2015 and looks to be one of the top Army boxers by the end of the year. “I would like to thank God for keeping my loved ones and myself healthy and safe,” Mendez said. “I began competing because I remember as a child in Puerto Rico when one of the country’s famous boxers would fight just about everyone would stop to watch him and in that hour or so whoever you were and whatever problems you had would be forgotten because you'd be so immersed in the event. “After every win there would be celebrations up and down every street and now that I’m older, I want to be that reason for people’s happines

Story by Brandon OConnor United States Military Academy at West Point WEST POINT, N.Y. -- As soon as the second-place team was announced, USMA Black knew they had won. Score updates throughout the two-days of the 51st Sandhurst Military Skills Competition had kept them on edge as they bounced in an out of first. Sometimes, they’d hear they were atop the leaderboard. Other times, their family and friends who had gathered to cheer them on would spur them ahead with the news they had fallen into second or even third place. But following two days, more than 27-miles of rigorous rucking and 13 obstacles including physical fitness, marksmanship and land navigation challenges, USMA Black stood above the competition. “We were in a lot of anticipation this year because this was the first year where throughout the day, almost on the hour, they would post updated rankings,” Class of 2020 Cadet Kevin Shinnick, USMA Black squad leader, said. “We all trusted each other, we trusted that we

Story by Scottt Thornbloom Naval Service Training Command COLUMBUS, Ohio -- More than 300 Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) student competitors and staff members from eight Midwest universities traveled to The Ohio State (OSU) University to participate in the 2nd Annual Buckeye NROTC Invitational here, April 6. Ohio State along with fellow Big Ten schools Northwestern University, Purdue University and the University of Illinois were joined by the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Iowa State University, Miami (Ohio) University and the University of Missouri NROTC units. Northwestern and IIT are part of the Chicago NROTC Consortium. The OSU Buckeye NROTC battalion planned and ran this year’s competition which began last year with the Buckeye Battalion being crowned the winner in their inaugural invitational. “We started this last year for the leadership opportunities,” said U. S. Navy Capt. Brett Coffey, professor of Naval Science and commanding officer of Th

Story by 1st Lt. Faith Brodkorb 93d Air Ground Operations Wing Hundreds of 93d Air Ground Operations Wing (AGOW) tactical air control party (TACP) Airmen across the country participated in the TACP Association’s 24 Hour Challenge, March 28, 2019 to raise money for TACP Airmen and families in need. The TACP Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support members of the TACP community as well as better the communities in which they reside, and it hosts this world-wide event each year to raise money for its cause. “The whole squadron participates,” said Senior Airman Cade Draper, 15th Air Support Operations Squadron TACP and local 24 Hour Challenge planner. “They do miles and make donations. These guys take care of their own.” Local TACP Association volunteers host the annual 24 Hour Challenge at numerous locations around the world, and participants sign up for time slots to make sure at least one person is running at all times. The event raises money th

Story by Staff Sgt. Justin Hardin U.S. Army Central CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait  “Fall in!” Col. Jason Wood, commander, 368th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group (EASOG), calls airmen of the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) to attention. It is 7:53 p.m. and the TACP community across the globe is preparing to start their 8th Annual 24-hour challenge. The purpose of the 24-hour challenge is to remember the airmen and women killed in combat, honor those still serving and support the families of both. “All TACP units and associates throughout the globe are participating, we started here at 8 p.m. Kuwaiti time and there are other units starting [at] similar times all throughout the world,” Wood said. This year the event featured six categories of competition: overall mile, average miles, ultra run two-person team, ultra run individual, ultra ruck two-person team and ultra ruck individual. “Every year I try to push myself,” said 1st Lt. Josh Martinez, TACP officer, 82nd EASOS. “I