U.S. Forces Fitness

Story by Lance Cpl. Brennan Beauton Marine Corps Installations Pacific CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan – After three rigorous weeks of obstacle course line-drills, aquatic training, and countless hours of free sparring, six Marines earned their instructor tab signifying they are now Marine Corps Martial Arts Program instructors. Marines prepared to embark on the course with a common goal in mind to become MCMAP instructors. As the course took its toll on the martial arts instructor hopefuls, the number of Marines with that goal diminished. “This course is not for everybody, you have to come with a 100% mindset that you want to be an instructor and start realizing that you are doing something bigger than yourself,” said Sgt. Rishab Kohli, the lead martial arts instructor trainer with 12th Marine Regiment. According to Kohli, many Marines start the course expecting to walk away with a shirt and tab on their belt. Before they do, they have to earn it. When some Marines start t

Story by Pfc. Karis Mattingly Marine Corps Installations Pacific Members of the U.S. community competed against one another Aug. 18, 2019 in Okinawa’s Strongest: Battle of the North. The one day event was a combination of speed and strength not normally seen in a typical strong man event. “Today is a smaller condensed version of the main competition with three different events,” said Taryn Miller, the Marine Corps Community Services adult sports specialist. “These smaller competitions have given people the opportunity to try the different challenges to see if they are intrigued by it.”        The competitors were divided into four different weight classes. The first event was the sled pull which consisted of a competitor pulling a sled 50 meters. The second was a 100 meter wheelbarrow race combined with 10 deadlift repetitions. The third event was the atlas stone lift, this involved three different stones the competitor had to lift up and place on a platform. “Today's

Story by Sgt. Dana Beesley  Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island "That was our time to enjoy being with one another,” Rivas said. “To this day, one of the first things we do when we’re home is hit the gym together.” Rivas commissioned as a logistics officer in summer of 2011. As a Marine Corps officer, she says staying physically fit is her responsibility, and officers are expected to be the living model for their Marines to emulate. This summer, Rivas will be representing Parris Island at the National High Intensity Tactical Training (HITT) Competition in Quantico, Virginia. Her training regimen is a myriad of functional fitness workouts and weight lifting five to six times per week. “Staying fit has just become a lifestyle; more than anything it makes me feel great. Through fitness and other physical activities, I have met some amazing people that I now consider lifelong friends. Rivas said she’s always excited to mix up her fitness routine, but gets the most enj

Story by Winifred Brown  US Army Garrison - Japan CAMP ZAMA, Japan – Yotaro Mukai has taught aikido at the Yano Fitness Center here for 21 years, and he welcomes everyone. For those who want to learn, Mukai offers classes at convenient times for anyone who has access to the gym. He offers free classes every day during the work week during lunch; two more classes in the evening on Tuesday and Thursday; and another class from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Mukai, a retired colonel from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, began studying aikido 56 years ago when he was a cadet at the National Defense Academy, the Japanese equivalent to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. He holds the second-highest rank in aikido, the rank of seventh “dan,” or “shichidan.” He is a “shihan,” or master instructor, and volunteers his services. At this point, Mukai said he doesn’t feel like he is teaching, but rather practicing and learning new things every day. According to the Interna

Story by Michael Strasser Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Soldiers across the 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum participated in the final 10K qualifier race Aug. 7 in hopes of getting on this year’s Army Ten-Miler Team roster. First Lt. Japheth Ngojoy, with C Company, 10th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, secured his spot on the men’s team, placing first among all runners with a 34:17 time. He previously ran a 32:41 at the first qualifier in May. Ngojoy said it is an accomplishment to make the Army Ten-Miler Team, and having ran it six times before, it has become a tradition for him. “It’s a huge honor for me, and to represent the 10th Mountain Division is simply outstanding,” he said. Capt. Kelly MacDonald placed first among female runners, with a time of 41:30. Recently assigned to Fort Drum MEDDAC as a psychiatrist in the Behavioral Health Clinic, MacDonald said she is still familiarizing herself with the North Country.

Story by Senior Airman Jamie Titus 155th Air Refueling Wing, Nebraska Air National Guard Thirty-one members of the Nebraska Air National Guard student flight competed against members of the Nebraska Army National Guard’s Recruit Sustainment Program, Aug. 3, 2019, at the Army National Guard’s Greenlief Training Site near Hastings, Nebraska. The Student Flight-RSP Challenge was designed to bring together the two groups on newly-enlisted members of the Nebraska Army and Air National Guard and give them a chance to compete in a physically competitive event.  The Nebraska Air National Guard’s Student Flight is made up of newly enlisted trainees who have not yet attended basic training who spend their monthly drill weekends preparing for the challenges they will face as basic trainees. The Nebraska Army National Guard’s RSP is similarly organized for newly-enlisted Army trainees. “Our main goal is just to get our newer Airmen trainees ready to be successful, not only in basic tr

Story by Lance Cpl. Christopher Madero Marine Corps Installations Pacific CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan – The curtains opened - families, friends, and fans erupted in excitement as 82 bodybuilders in peak physical condition emerged onstage from the thick fog and colorful strobe lights. People of all ages and walks of life entered the competition, and displayed their hard-earned physiques to the audience. Participants attempted to surpass one another in order to not only stand out to the judges, but give the crowd just a glimpse of what was to come. Status of Forces Agreement Personnel and participants from around the world competed in the 2019 Far East Bodybuilding Competition, August 4 on Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan. The competition was split up into five different divisions; Men’s Physique, Men’s Bodybuilding, Women’s Physique, Women’s Figure, and Women’s Bikini. Women’s Bikini was the newest addition into the Far East Bodybuilding Competition. When the competitors were cal

Story by Senior Airman Sarah McClanahan Maryland National Guard Public Affairs Office Some soldiers physically push themselves, compete against who they were yesterday, and train above and beyond meeting the minimum requirements of an Army physical fitness test. As motivation to be physically active can vary, some Maryland Army National Guard soldiers conduct their regular exercise routines in innovative ways. Soldiers like Capt. Meghan Landymore, an ultra marathoner and member of the All Guard Marathon Team; Sgt. Donita Adams, a basketball coach and All-Army Women’s Basketball team member; and Capt. Ben Smith, an avid obstacle course racer and American Ninja Warrior participant, are passionately competing in high levels of sports and maintaining their personal fitness. Soldiers are required to maintain a certain standard of physical fitness. The annual Army Physical Fitness Test requirement for soldiers gives commanders an indication of the overall fitness of the soldier. The