Cross-training fitness rewards resolve

  • Published
  • By Capt. Melissa Thurman
  • 60th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Two and a half years ago, I deployed to Kuwait and was subsequently forward deployed to Afghanistan.

During my time away, my personal goal was to improve my physical fitness.  I planned to do this through running. However, the bases that I was assigned to weren't conducive to my plan, and I hated the idea of running on a treadmill.

I was initially disappointed by this setback and wasn't sure how I would accomplish my goal. At first glance, what seemed to be a setback was actually a blessing in disguise. I discovered cross-training fitness and never looked back. 

Now hear me out. Before I started cross-training fitness, I was very skeptical and thought the workouts were a bit over the top to say the least.  After all, cross-training fitness workouts are just about doing burpees and throwing weights around, right? Well, kind of.

Cross-training fitness workouts are actually well programmed and aim to challenge you, both in endurance and strength. When I first started, I was intimidated by the Olympic lifts, I couldn't do pull-ups and had difficulty with anything that required upper body strength.

I set one goal during my deployment, which was to do just one pull-up. If I could accomplish this feat, my investment in cross-training fitness would have been worth it. Honestly, I didn't think I was ever going to be able to do a pull-up, but several months into training, I finally had a breakthrough. Something clicked and I magically could do not only one pull-up, but several. To my surprise, I achieved what seemed like an impossible goal. 

My experience with cross-training fitness is analogous to my tenure in the Air Force: Constant challenge. With each new position, I'm usually working out of my comfort zone and never feel fully prepared.  Often times, it seems that what's being asked of me isn't feasible.  However, each and every time, I've stepped up to the challenge at hand and made the mission happen.  Through perseverance and lots of teamwork, I rose to the occasion, despite my reservations, and managed to do that pull-up.

As the acting 60th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander, I experience this first hand every day. From the top down, the squadron is full of dedicated Airmen who have been asked to step up to the challenge due to deployments and force management programs. We have gaps in key positions and everyone is taking on more work and some are filling positions well above their rank.

More is being asked of us and yet we manage to push through and make it happen.  Whether it is refueling aircraft, running the Deployment Control Center, maintaining the base's vehicle fleet, providing aircrew transportation or issuing mobility gear, I am constantly in awe of the teamwork and can-do attitude of my squadron. Colin Powell once said, "Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty and persistence." Just when it seems that the barbell may be too heavy to lift or you won't be able to get your chin above that bar to complete that pull-up, we rally and do what seems impossible. Where there's a will, there's a way and the will of our Airmen is unstoppable.