Photo By Sgt. Yesenia Cadavid | U.S. Army photo feature five air defenders with 10th Army Air and Missile Defense...... read more read more
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SEMBACH, Germany — Soldiers with 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command are proving that progress in physical readiness doesn’t have to wait for a fully staffed Holistic Health and Fitness team.
While the command has not yet been assigned an official H2F team, it has launched two key initiatives aimed at improving Soldier health, performance and resilience now, not later.
Supporting a critical mission
Air defense artillery remains one of the Army’s most in-demand branches. With threats such as drones and cruise missiles on the rise, air defenders must be ready both physically and mentally.
"Air Defense has one of the highest operational tempos in the Army, yet as a non-combat arms branch, we don’t have the full H2F team support others do” said Andrew Munsterman, the physical readiness lead for 10th AAMDC. “With limited resources, our dedication to physical fitness and readiness remains unwavering because our mission is critical: to defend the skies!"
H2F prioritizes the readiness of Soldiers. The Army’s approach to building resilience across five domains: physical, mental, nutritional, sleep and spiritual. It reflects the growing complexity of modern warfare.
Meeting readiness demands head-on
10th AAMDC is aligning with these priorities by investing in programs that give Soldiers tools to improve health and reduce injuries, even in the absence of a full H2F team.
One effort includes the use of mobile “gym in a box” kits that allow units to train anywhere. These kits, combined with InBody scanners that track individual body composition, help Soldiers improve their training and recovery.
“We’re giving Soldiers the tools to understand and improve their own health” said Munsterman. “It’s not just about passing physical fitness tests. It’s about performing better and preventing injuries.”
Growing fitness leadership from within
On June 27, five Soldiers from the command graduated from the H2F Academy’s mobile training course in Kaiserslautern, joining a growing team of trained integrators across U.S. Army Europe and Africa.
These Soldiers, now certified in physical training, injury prevention, recovery and the broader H2F domains, are already making an impact.
“When Staff Sgt. Cameron Burgess and I took over as fitness noncommissioned officers, we had eight Soldiers on the Army Body Composition Program,” said Sgt. Jared Nicolai, 11th Missile Defense Battery Prime Power Team Leader and recent H2F graduate. “Within a few months, that number dropped to two. It feels great to use what I’ve learned to help my unit and increase our readiness.”
H2F integrators are gradually replacing the legacy Master Fitness Trainer role. These new leaders are trained across all five H2F domains. That enables them to serve as direct resources for their formation.
“These aren’t just fit Soldiers,” said Munsterman. “They’re respected NCOs and leaders who influence their peers. They’re the go-to people for training, preventing injuries and recovery.”
10th AAMDC’s approach to physical readiness shows that meaningful change doesn’t have to wait on additional resources. By investing in portable training and developing leaders from within, the command is laying the groundwork for a stronger, more resilient force. One Soldier at a time.
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| Date Taken: | 07.02.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.02.2025 03:21 |
| Story ID: | 502096 |
| Location: | RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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