The West Virginia National Guard’s Fitness Training Program (FTP) staff welcomed four college interns to Fit Camp March 27 through 31, 2018, at Camp Dawson, West Virginia, during the second semester of a first-of-its-kind cooperative program between the FTP and students in health science areas of study from schools around the state.
The West Virginia Guard will provide 2,100 internship hours in the program’s first year, according to FTP program director and WVNG dietitian, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Jeremy Mullins. As part of a memorandum of understanding signed in December between the WVNG and six state colleges and universities, students can intern under Mullins and the FTP, building a symbolically beneficial relationship focusing on the health and fitness of Guard members and, by extension, their families and military units.
Most students in health science programs are required to gain 400 intern hours before graduation and can apply to a variety of opportunities. The FTP offers anything from 40 hours spent at a quarterly Fit Camp to an entire semester and all 400 hours.
“The big piece that we have in place and working is getting interns participating,” said Mullins. “That’s the first step.”
Fall 2017 saw the first batch of interns - dietetic students from Marshall University. In addition to the four participating in the Fit Camp, four more are registered for the spring 2018 semester.
The second phase of the program is to build a pool of interns that are available to units requesting training for Soldiers and Airmen in areas of tactical fitness or nutrition, Mullins said.
While Fit Camp in an intensive program for Guard members who may need a push to pass military requirements, an overarching goal of the FTP is to ensure troop readiness and strength in relationship to the individual’s capability to perform their job in many types of situations. Mullins can work with unit leaders to identify what types of exercise and nutrition plans could be tailored for those troops depending on their specific job and overall mission, whether they are getting ready to deploy or participate in intense training.
Having a large group of educated health science professionals on standby to assist in Guard fitness is a huge asset to the Guard’s overall strength and readiness, Mullins said.
“The great thing about (this internship) though,” said Mullins, “is that it works both ways.”
“This gives me more resources to help more Soldiers,” he said. “But on the flip-side, I think the interns are getting a lot out of it.”
Marshall University students Kate Etter, from Ohio, and Savanna Altizer, a Virginia native, agreed that this internship is so much more then just cleaning equipment or talking people through to use gym machines, which can be the extent of other programs. Giving training in both instructional classroom and work-out sessions has both students excited to use what they’ve been studying for years in a hands-on setting.
First Squadron, 150th Cavalry Regiment Soldier Spc. Richard Wheeler, a student at West Virginia State University, views his sports science studies and this internship as a combination of his civilian and military career.
“I have been there with [the Guard members],” he said. “I’ve taken the PT test myself, and I know the problem Soldiers have complained about - problems that could be fixed and have different solutions.”
Different solutions and definitions of what it means to be a fit military member are the foundation of the whole-body fitness and wellness program West Virginia National Guard is building.
Wheeler said his experience and education as both a Soldier and civilian is helping shape his point of view and, he hopes, could help land him a job working for the military in the field.
A forward-focus on gainful employment is also part of what Mullins provides for the interns. He is pulling on years of civilian experience as personal trainer and business owner to give interns a well-rounded education.
They’re learning about the military and tactical exercise, he said, but he’s also giving them outside assessments to do. Mullins required they read a book on social media marketing and often discuses self-branding and aspects about being an entrepreneur in the fitness world.
The FTP internship program has started off strong, Mullins said, and is growing into the vision he and WVNG leadership have for building a healthy, fit community and State.
| Date Taken: |
04.05.2018 |
| Date Posted: |
04.05.2018 13:43 |
| Story ID: |
271902 |
| Location: |
KINGWOOD, WEST VIRGINIA, US |
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This work, Guard fitness program internship provides education, experience for W.Va. college students, by SSG Zoe Morris, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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