Air Force failing at fitness?

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Members of the 31st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron do sit-ups as part of Air Force Wingmen Day at Aviano Air Base, Italy.


Air Force failing at fitness?
By Jennifer H. Svan, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Friday, January 2, 2009

No changes are planned yet for fitness programs at U.S. Air Force bases in Europe on the heels of a worldwide Air Force audit that found that unit-based fitness policies tend to promote a "fit to test" instead of a "fit to fight" culture.

U.S. Air Forces in Europe officials, however, said Tuesday that the audit identifies several recommendations for Air Force-wide policy change and that they would work to implement those revisions once new Air Force policy is established.

"In the meantime, we’ll continue to stress the importance of good, year-round fitness habits coupled with timely and accurate fitness testing," USAFE officials said in a written response to Stars and Stripes.

The report — released by the Air Force Audit Agency in early December — found that unit commanders were not properly managing fitness programs and unit-based fitness programs did not effectively promote a healthy lifestyle.

"Unit based fitness policies did not include adequate management controls, such as conducting unannounced random body composition assessments and related intervention actions, to hold members individually accountable for year-round physical fitness," the report states. Holding annual assessments at predetermined intervals allows airmen "to prepare just before the test, thereby promoting a ‘fit to test’ culture."


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59745