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News : Navy Updates Physical Fitness Test Standards
Bethesda Journal - MD, USA, August 11 2005 -- Navy leadership, recognizing a Sailor's physical fitness directly impacts mission readiness, disseminated an administrative message outlining proposed revisions to its current physical readiness program.
According to the message, the proposed revisions are a first step to establishing a culture of fitness where commanders and enlisted Sailors will be challenged to make fitness a lifestyle and to hold fellow shipmates to the standard.
The message identified several proposed program improvements to reflect the Navy's charge into the twenty-first century. Included among these changes are:
* adding the elliptical and stationary cycle as options for the aerobic portion of the physical fitness assessment
* simplifying the physical readiness test scoring categories to superior, average and marginal
* adding body fat measurements for all Sailors to height, weight, blood pressure and cholesterol data in judging overall fitness and health
* incorporating a standardized physical training uniform to be worn during actual physical fitness assessments and command group physical training
All personnel who fail the physical fitness assessment three or more times in the most recent four years, including failure of the Spring 2006 assessment, will be processed for mandatory administrative separation by July 2006. In addition, the new changes will afford Sailors an opportunity to re-take the fitness assessment after a failure with the option of recording the best score achieved within the command's official physical fitness cycle.
"Extensive fleet input has made it clear the Navy must adapt our physical readiness policy to reflect the flexibility and agility our mission environment requires," said VADM Gerald Hoewing, Chief of Naval Personnel and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Manpower & Personnel) in a message delivered to Navy leadership.
"A fit force increases the wellness and productivity of our personnel and decreases lost man-hours over time. We must therefore recognize that physical fitness is a readiness issue best addressed by creating a culture that promotes healthy lifestyles and provides Sailors the leadership, tools, and time to achieve and maintain fitness goals."
Under the new revisions, Navy leaders will have additional flexibility in handling Sailors who fail to meet standards.
The new program will not only encourage positive behavioral changes, but may include new testing options and incentives for Sailors who need help. It will also provide accountability and rewards for commanders to transition to a culture of fitness.
Commands are also charged with running an effective Fitness Enhancement Program for Sailors who are not, or are only marginally within, standards. The program provides a record of the Sailor's physical fitness deficiency and a detailed plan on how the command and member will overcome this deficiency. Physical fitness and body composition assessment failures must participate in the program at least three times a week.
Leading Petty Officer of Bethesda's Health Promotion, HM2(SW) Paul Stevens-Green, said the hospital was already complying with the Navy's requirement to allow fitness training during the workday.
"Our senior leadership had already made it a priority to allow Sailors to [train] during working hours," he said. "Speak to your chain of command if you are being told otherwise; the command is affording every opportunity for [Sailors] to succeed."
Bethesda Command Master Chief Laura Martinez agrees, saying she is impressed how senior leaders at Bethesda have embraced the fitness enhancement program and taken it to the next level. She also strongly emphasizes the importance of starting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Stevens-Green suggested physical readiness and retention should go hand in hand. The new policy addresses retention issues in future fitness reports of Navy senior leadership subordinate officer.
"Officers and enlisted members will be ineligible for promotion, advancement or frocking if they failed the most recent official [fitness test]," Stevens-Green said. "If the Sailor is not within standards by their promotion date, advancement authority will be withdrawn for enlisted personnel, or a delayed promotion or removal from the promotion list for officers."
Promoting and supporting a healthy lifestyle is each Sailor's job, according to Martinez. These proposed changes shed a new light on fitness and underlines the importance that each Sailor should read and understand.
"Today, we are all seemingly fitness and health-conscious...we all want to live a long time," Martinez said. "Starting a healthy lifestyle now will help you to reach your goals in the military and will follow you as you transition into the civilian sector.
"This new [Navy message] provides an avenue to be successful in physical fitness," Martinez continued. "If you put fitness on the backburner, shame on you, because it's your career you're putting on the line."
(source : www.dcmilitary.com)
