Photo By Sgt. William Hill | Staff Sgt. Cedric Vaughn, a fitness trainer with the Morale, Welfare and Recreation at...... read more read more
CAMP ATTERBURY JOINT MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, Ind.- When Soldiers enter the fitness center, Staff Sgt. Cedric Vaughn wants to help them not only reach their physical goals, but also build their confidence.
"First of all consider the benefits to being physically fit," said Vaughn, a fitness trainer with Morale, Welfare and Recreation at Camp Atterbury. "You look better, you feel better, have more energy, accomplish more goals, and it builds confidence and it helps you live a much healthier lifestyle, prolonging your life," he said.
His workout programs are strenuous, he said, and they push an individual to their limit but in the end leave them with great satisfaction.
"I create them a workout program that will condition their body so they can meet their goals," Vaughn said. "Those individuals who stay true to the program not only change their body structure but their demeanor as well, gaining more confidence."
Sgt. 1st Class Autumn Lozier, a supervisor for the Soldier Readiness Center at Camp Atterbury, has been working out using Vaughn's program since October and she said the workouts are indeed demanding.
"His work outs are so intense that you can feel the burn in your muscles and you will feel great afterwards," said Lozier.
Vaughn said while exercise has helped him become the image of a Soldier, it was his father that inspired him to be the man he is; a man who lives a life of good deeds, and always helping people in need.
"When I was a boy the elderly people in my neighborhood would always have me do work for them," said Vaughn, a Hattiesburg, Miss., native. "They would always tell me I would amount to something because I was a good kid, never talked back and showed them respect. It came easy for me because my father was in the Army and was strict," Vaughn said with a smile.
"My dad had a lot to do with the way my life turned out," he said. "I never got in any trouble and I always wanted to do the right thing. Dad would always tell me, 'You're going to always have people look up to you so do the right thing and those looking up to you will do the same thing.' I find that to be so true even to this day," said Vaughn.
As a foster parent, and now with kids of his own, Vaughn said he finds that to be true even to this day.
"I know I changed this kid's life because he looked up to me," he said. "I showed him people care about each other and if you treat people with respect you receive respect."
On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Vaughn and his son watched a documentary on King's life and what he accomplished.
"It was a history lesson for me and my son," said Vaughn. "I wanted him to know the importance of Martin Luther King Day and that it was not just important for African Americans, but everyone in the country. As I listened to the "I Have a Dream" speech, I took those words to heart and was inspired to help the people in Haiti by donating money."
It was a moment to pause and think about what Dr. King has done, and then think about all of the other important black people that contributed to our country, he said.
"February is Black History Month and I think Black History Month is so important to us all," he said. "I think about the Buffalo Soldiers, and the Tuskegee Airmen; their roles were of the utmost importance which paved the way for other African Americans and other people of all races."
Vaughn said his father used to tell him stories of the segregation and the hardships he faced in the Army during the 1960s.
"My father would always tell me stories about how different he was treated," said Vaughn. "But he used to say, 'But son when you get older, things will change and you will see a total difference.'
Vaughn lives that difference now, working out with anyone who desires a change in his or her physical demeanor, ultimately knowing that they'll change on the inside too.
"If you treat people with respect, stay physically active, and strive to always do your best, you will always have confidence in yourself and others will believe in you," said Vaughn.
| Date Taken: | 01.25.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 01.25.2010 13:20 |
| Story ID: | 44412 |
| Location: | CAMP ATTERBURY, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 316 |
| Downloads: | 268 |
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