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    Altus Airmen tie resolutions to Comprehensive Airman Fitness

    ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, OK, UNITED STATES

    01.09.2015

    Story by Airman 1st Class Jimmie Lee 

    97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

    ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. – As another year rolls in, many Airmen have decided to make changes to their daily choices to better themselves.

    “Every year, I set a physical fitness goal for myself,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Sarah Grande, 97th Medical Operations Squadron public health technician. “In 2014, my goal was to run a full marathon; I ran two. In 2015, I would like to compete in a fitness competition. I want to see my body at its best performance this year.”

    “My goal is to constantly improve myself so that I can handle everything life throws at me,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Michael Triana, 97th Medical Operations Squadron allergy and immunology technician. “Staying hydrated, eating healthy and having the right mindset are all part of enhancing one’s fitness level. A healthy lifestyle is important to meeting and exceeding one’s goals.”

    Many resolutions are made with a long-term goal in mind. To make achieving that goal easier, short-term goals should be set to assess one’s progress.

    “Short-term goals set you up for your long term,” said Grande. “It's like doing homework, right? If you look at every assignment that is due in eight weeks, it will be very overwhelming. That’s why you have to take it one assignment at a time, just like your fitness level. I take my fitness goals one day at a time. Even if it is simply running five more minutes than usual, that’s just one step closer.”

    “Your measured performance in achieving your short-term goals acts as a compass guiding you to the realization of your long-term goal. If you've set up your short-term goals properly, and you hit them all with determination and precision, there is no way you won't hit your long-term goal,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Paul L. Hammer, 97th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels superintendent. “Short-term goals are also little prizes along the way. If you had to rely on your long-term goal as your only source of motivation, you would give up far before completion. Short-term goals provide hope.”

    These examples line up with the U.S. Air Force’s Comprehensive Airman Fitness plan. The CAF plan encourages Airmen to be healthy and resilient in four aspects of their lives.

    “Comprehensive Airmen Fitness focuses on maximizing strength in four pillars: Mental, physical, social and spiritual. These four pillars, like everything in our lives, are so inexorably linked that we cannot be fooled into thinking we can only pay attention to one of them without sacrificing strength in another,” said Hammer. “I think it's smart to spend your time doing things that contribute to more than one of them simultaneously, if not all of them, maximizing your time.”

    “If you attend your squadron's physical training and really give it your all, then there are obvious benefits to your physical strength,” Hammer continued. “Running, pushups, situps and burpees are all good for your physical strength and conditioning, and pushing through a workout with wingmen to your left and right is great for your social strength. Having the personal resolve to get through a seemingly impossible workout or squatting a new personal record is great for your mental strength. Helping your Airmen pound out that last mile of a 5 kilometer run does wonders for your spiritual strength. Before you know it, that one-hour PT session has boosted all four of your fitness pillars, leaving you strong enough to tackle any of the challenges we face on a day-to-day basis.”

    Whether you are maintaining a fitness routine or attempting a new physical challenge, a bit of encouragement can motivate you to keep up the hard work.

    “Start small, and start slow, but just get out there and start. Whether your goal is the Olympics or a passing PT score, you have to start somewhere,” said Hammer. “In order to realize any goal, you have to start. Stick to your plan on the toughest days. If you can get into the gym on those days, you're winning.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 01.09.2015
    Date Posted: 01.09.2015 12:57
    Story ID: 151607
    Location: ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, OK, US

    Web Views: 23
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN