Camp Mabry graduates first class of Army Master Fitness Trainers

Photo By Capt. Alicia Lacy | Master Fitness Trainer Course instructors Sgt. 1st Class Athan K. Schindler and Sgt. 1st Class Shelley Horner provides demonstrate lateral lunges during a round of exercises on the parade field at Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas, Oct. 16, 2014, as part of the Master Fitness Trainer Course. About one dozen National Guard and active duty Army soldiers began the final 10 days of training to become Master Fitness Trainers to act as special advisers to unit commanders to facilitate physical training. (Air National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Alicia M. Lacy/Released)  

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES

10.24.2014

Story by 2nd Lt. Alicia Lacy 

Texas Military Department

AUSTIN, Texas - Master Fitness Trainer Course instructors at Camp Mabry produced more than a half dozen of the Army’s newest Master Fitness Trainers Oct. 24, 2014, at the National Guard base in Austin, Texas.

As part of the Army’s effort to increase soldier physical readiness, reduce injuries and standardize unit training, the training was the first iteration in a series of monthly training courses for National Guard, active duty and Reserve soldiers at Camp Mabry.

The candidates had to complete two weeks of arduous academic work in a distance- learning format followed by two weeks of grueling physical readiness training and academics on location.

These four weeks prepared the candidates to be the subject matter experts and their respective unit advisor on physical fitness and readiness.

“The Master Fitness Course is a course that teaches soldiers how to be the commander’s advisor on all things around fitness and wellness at the unit level,” said Sgt. 1st Class Athan K. Schindler, non-commissioned officer in charge of the base’s Master Fitness Trainer Course . “This is their opportunity for them to learn the academics and also the application of how to let their units be fit and ready for their mission tasks.”

The Army Physical Readiness Training in Field Manual 7-22 provides the guidance for a balanced training program based on concepts of physical fitness and readiness and is the basis of the Master Fitness program.
“The FM 7-22 now prescribes a newer PRT program, so yes, there’s new movements and techniques, new drills, and that’s the big of effort of this course to get the right information out to the units so they know how to properly conduct PRT with new doctrine and standards,” Schindler said.

Though not completely new to the Army, the Master Fitness program was recently revived in 2012, and Camp Mabry is only one of three training sites for the entire reserve component of the Army.

“The Texas Army National Guard is very proud and this is a great opportunity for us to lead the way in a course that’s extremely important for the Army and we’re proud to be hosting it here,” Schindler said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to, not only, work hand in hand with other components, such as our Reserve component or the active duty folks, but it’s also an opportunity for us to show what we’re capable of as the Texas Army National Guard. That we can run a high-quality course that would match active or any other branch that would host the course.”

Because of this, the candidates in the course had an opportunity to gauge their skill sets and levels against those of soldiers from other components, which helped create better understanding amongst the soldiers.

“I think it was a great experience, especially working with active duty soldiers,” said Staff Sgt. Jesse J. Corpus, a newly certified Master Fitness Trainer and a member of the 71st Theater Operations Group, Texas Army National Guard . “It’s relatively new to them also, so it’s kind of refreshing being a full time National Guard soldier you think you’re behind them but we’re pretty much up there with them.”

To attend the course, candidates are recommended by their chain of command based on leadership and physical fitness. Additionally, students are required to meet Army height and weight standards and pass the Army Physical Fitness Test with a total score of 240 points or higher and a minimum of 80 points in each event.

Due to the level of importance placed on physical fitness and readiness, the instructors used strict grading standards in order for the candidates to progress.

“We have a saying in the master fitness course that they must earn their progression, so we try to keep it at a level that would be appropriate for them and the whole point of the master fitness trainer course is not to cause injury,” Schindler said. “I can’t emphasize enough the importance of what these folks are going to do at their unit level.”

“They’re going to be solely the catalyst for what helps soldiers to meet the standards of the Army body composition program as well as helping their folks to not be injured anymore and to be properly trained in all physical fitness activities,” Schindler went on to say.

Corpus said his brigade’s commander and executive officer selected him to be the unit’s Master Fitness Trainer based on his high physical fitness test scores.

“Overall, it’s a great course. It’s not about who can do the most PT, who has the highest PT score, it’s about who can have that high standard and also know the science behind it,” Corpus said.

• Date Taken: 10.24.2014
• Date Posted: 11.11.2014 11:30
• Story ID: 147539
• Location: AUSTIN, TX, US