New PT standards tougher, but so are our Airmen

  • Published
  • By Col. Joseph Zahn
  • 615th Contingency Response Wing vice commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE,Calif. --  For some Airmen, just thinking about the new physical training test gets their heart racing with anticipation. We are well-aware that the Air Force's new training standards will take effect July 1. That means we have about a month-and-a-half to prepare for the new standard of fitness. We have an opportunity to stretch outside of our comfort zones and see how well we measure up to a higher requirement. Fitness has always been a military standard and just as our missions continue to evolve, so too must our physical readiness.

Our Airmen are out there every day on Travis, jogging the trails in groups, training individually in the gym, doing sit-ups and push-ups beside the track as a unit, even running the stairs together at the theater. They exhibit drive and commitment to the task at hand and a desire to live up to the standards of excellence that make our Air Force great. It is this dedication that will meet and exceed the new standard.

Each Airman has the courage to challenge themselves and each other. Each facet of the new PT test will now count for equal weight, so it's vital to succeed in all areas of training: the waist measurement, push-ups, sit-ups and 1.5-mile run.

Being in top physical condition has a host of benefits. Working out as a group can encourage unit team work and a healthful office environment. It's also a great way to burn off any job-related stresses. Your efforts can directly impact the mission by propelling others to follow your example. Each Airman is a leader.

Your decision to get in and stay in shape impacts your career through your promotion potential, Enlisted Performance Report or Officer Performance Report ratings and assignments. Fitness is such a vital component to our success as a force today. Every Airman will deploy. It is a given fact today. It's so important to be physically prepared to meet the challenges of serving in high-stress, sometimes austere and physically demanding environments. All of our Airmen must maintain a standard of readiness that reflects the high operations tempo missions our Air Force engage in with increasing frequency.

There is still time to prepare to meet this challenge head-on. Take full advantage of the time allotted during the duty day for physical training. There are six weeks left until the new PT standards go into effect. If you work hard at it, you'll be amazed at what a difference six weeks can make!