Kadena Airmen focus on fitness

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tara A. Williamson
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  With the new physical fitness standards now in effect, Airmen are seeing how focused the Air Force is on being physically fit.

Recently, the pass-rate of PT tests at Kadena has increased as servicemembers are getting used to the standards. According to Joyce Jankielsztajn, lead fitness testing specialist with the Fitness Assessment Cell, the current pass rate is 87 percent. Of those who pass, 53 percent score in the "excellent" category.

CH-CH-CH-CHANGES

When the new AFI 36-2905 standards took effect July 1, some things changed with the PT program. One of those was minimum requirements to pass in each category tested, and the other was civilians became responsible for testing Airmen.

At that time, the ratio of Fitness Assessment Cell personnel to Airmen was 1-to-1, with the FAC member counting for Airmen. As of October, however, Airmen can once again count on, and for each other, reducing the overall time it takes to administer a PT test.

Now, the ratio is one FAC member for up to 12 Airmen.

MEETING THE MARK

Although the majority of Kadena's Airmen are currently passing their tests, some people continue to struggle under the new standards.

Kevin Ball, exercise physiologist at the Health and Wellness Center, said the number of Airmen failing their PT tests increased just after the new AFI went into effect. He said there are things people can do at every level to improve the overall level of fitness of Kadena's Airmen.

WAYS TO IMPROVE

"Be Well" classes are offered at the HAWC and address behavioral changes, nutrition, eating habits and fitness activity. The class is held Thursdays 8 - 11 a.m and each class has between 25 and 30 servicemembers attending. Attendance at "Be Well" classes is mandatory for Airmen who fail a PT test. FAC personnel schedule Airmen for the class within ten duty days of the failed test.

Ball said just because the classes are mandatory for those who fail, it does not mean they aren't available for all servicemembers. These classes are offered to anyone wishing to be further educated on a healthy lifestyle.

The "Fitness Improvement Program" is another class available to improve Airmen's PT scores and overall fitness.

FIP classes are offered five days a week, five times a day, said Ball. The class schedules are staggered in type to keep the entire body working. Circuit training and cardiovascular sculpting are just two classes on the FIP schedule.

COMMANDER'S OPTIONS

As an administrative action, Ball said, commanders can make it policy to send those who fail to "Fitness Improvement Program" classes. Commanders can tell those who fail they must take the class up to five times a week.

The people in the Fitness Assessment Cell track all Airmen taking the FIP classes, said Jankielsztajn, to see where the students stand. As it turns out, there is a 14-point average increase in PT scores from those participating in FIP.

"Most Airmen who fail a PT test will motivate themselves to push to the next level for their next test," Jankielsztajn said. "It's always great to see servicemembers come back ready to pass their PT test."

According to Ball, the best way to ensure Airmen are up to standards is to inspect their performance. "As a commander, what can help is to inspect, not expect," he said. "Commanders need to inspect their units, not be expecting that personal PT is happening."

At a squadron level, added Jankielsztajn, it would be beneficial to periodically implement mock PT tests to see how Airmen are performing.

IT'S A LIFETIME THING

It will be a gradual process to continue to raise servicemembers' abilities in fitness, Ball said. But with the "Be Well" and FIP programs teaching Airmen to lead healthy lifestyles and the fitness classes offered at the Risner Fitness Center, the overall fitness level of Kadena's Airmen should continue to rise.