Photo By Airman 1st Class Aidan Stein | Team Little Rock Airmen perform ammunition box lifts during the Joint Combat Fitness...... read more read more
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LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. – Team Little Rock members collaborated with U.S. Marines assigned to the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU) Cherry Point Detachment to host and participate in the Joint Combat Fitness Challenge, Sept. 16, 2025.
The challenge aimed to strengthen ties between Airmen and Marines on base while promoting physical fitness, mental resilience and leadership skills among those who organized the fitness challenge.
The event was organized by the 19th Force Support Squadron and was inspired by members of the Joint Fitness Cadre Team.
U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Marcos Garcia, Joint Fitness Cadre mentor, has been leading the team for the past three years since it started.
“In order to join the cadre, you have to go through the [U.S. Marine Corps] Combat Fitness Test (CFT),” Garcia said. “My principle is how can you be an effective leader telling somebody to go do something, if you don’t know what it feels like.”
The Joint Fitness Cadre program allows junior service members the opportunity to develop leadership skills and for individuals in Airman Leadership School (ALS) or in the First Term Enlisted Course (FTEC) an opportunity to participate in a joint event.
“It’s about their passion and wanting to lead and practice their principles,” Garcia said. “You all need to step into those leadership roles, don’t be afraid and just take control, do something, create something.”
The event incorporated components of the CFT, which consists of an 880-yard movement-to-contact run, two minutes of ammo-can lifts, and a maneuver-under-fire course including crawls, carries and sprints.
“The sense of urgency and the sense of not giving up can translate to the workplace,” said U.S. Marine Corp Sgt. Moise Fokomla, CNATTU Cherry Point Detachment individual material readiness list manager. “Sometimes you may feel like today’s not going good, but if you continue to fight and get the job done, it helps not only yourself but everyone else.”
The fitness challenge created a space where participants could evaluate their mental and physical capabilities, in an environment where mistakes and failures can be learned from without detriment to the mission.
“One of the biggest principles I teach is you need to know where your breaking point is,” Garcia said. “Bend enough to where you’re learning and then learn how to throttle back so you don’t break.”
| Date Taken: | 09.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.19.2025 15:38 |
| Story ID: | 548786 |
| Location: | LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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