Comment: CES Airman maps base 'hot spots'
These cameras are very expensive. Why not establish a sharing program for a single camera between bases? Additional tens of thousands of dollars would be saved just by consolidating resources. View story
Master Sgt. Darrell May
Misawa Air Base, Japan
4/3/2009
Comment: CES Airman maps base 'hot spots'
Although this is a good story, my concern is about this Airman's qualifications to perform aerial documentation. Has he been properly trained to be a crew member and perform a function generally provided by trained professionals at Combat Camera or even a military aerial videographer in Japan? Was the photographer that created his picture trained and qualified to do that type of job? Some potential aerial stories can become nightmares if the wrong thing happens with the wrong person doing the job. View story
Senior Master Sgt. Brian Boone
Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
4/3/2009
Re: PT is kind of like dirty socks
The commentary by Sergeant Goetsch about no-notice PT is interesting and has generated a lot of discussion, as I am sure it was meant to do. The letter from Colonel Johnson mentioning at least one of the shortcomings to this idea was also interesting. There should be a way for the Air Force to use its PT testing to encourage Airmen to stay fit year round and not “train to the test” when they know it will be on a certain date and also to avoid the problem of not being prepared for the test itself due to over training immediately prior to a test. It would seem a compromise would best fit this situation.
When the call comes from the orderly room it would be to inform the member their PT test is scheduled for a day between 5 and 10 days from that date but that the measurement portion will be on the day they were called. There is no way a person will be able to get in shape for the test in one week, but they would also not be given any additional time to fast to try and lose that couple of pounds they may not should have put on. The additional time would allow the person to adjust their workouts so as to not conflict with the PT test.
Maybe it's not the best solution, and certainly not a solution to make everyone happy, but something that would meet some of the concerns of both groups. The real problem is the purpose of the “War Fit” program itself. Is it to ensure a person can perform their mission in a deployed environment or is it to test the overall health of a person? The waist measurement was included because it was supposed to be a determining factor in many health concerns including heart problems. So, the first thing the Air Force needs to do is to find out what they want to measure and develop a test that does that.
USAF Retired Jerry Heflin
Moore, Okla.
4/2/2009
Comment: Reserve commander briefs Congress
As a 28-year veteran of the Air Force, with time in active duty, Air National Guard, and Reserves, the Air Force Reserve does lots of good but has startling blind spots. Let me mention two. First, where is the centralized assignment desk? Sure there have been efforts such as vMPF, which if you are on an Air Force base and have access to the system (which I no longer have) is good. But there are LOTS of people out there that do not have that access that would like an assignment. And my experience with finding an assignment was that you first look on those pages and then have to jump through lots of hoops to try to get attention, find out who is actually able to make the assignment, if it is still there, etc. Recruiters focus on finding enlisted folks, and on a small set of specialties at that.
Second, almost all IMA slots should be eliminated. As an IMA, my first lesson was that IMA does stand for 'Im Alone.' After sending my unit numerous emails and making phone calls, when you show up for duty the standard response was a blank stare. And too many other IMAs from too many bases had the same complaint. The only IMAs should be federal civil servants who have separated from their unit and are still on that base. They have the ability to stay plugged in and able to contribute. Many IMAs have enormous difficulty just keeping their medical records up to date, staying current on fitness testing, annual training, etc. I still know several IMAs and they have the same problems that I had when I retired in 2005.
Certainly there is some evident discordance between my two contentions, but we should either do the IMA position well or not at all. View story
Reserve Lt. Col. (Ret.) Charles Phillips
Houston, Texas
4/2/2009
Re: PT is kind of like dirty socks
When talking about spontaneous PT tests, although this is good, it is not fair to those of us that go to the gym four to five days a week and press hard every single time we're there. There are days after being in the gym I can barely do a pushup or situp because my muscles are so sore from pushing myself to the limit. There are also days I can hardly walk from working my legs so hard. I can see this going bad already. Am I sore everyday? Yes, usually, because I DO push myself every day in the gym. So, this is how it would go.
"Hey, Sergeant Boysun, this is the orderly room. I need you to come over here and sign some papers." I would go right over, and then they would say, "We're glad you're here now; go take your PT test." I would explain that I was at the gym last night and did a killer workout on my abs and legs. So, I don't believe I'll be able to do it as I know my body and I won't be able to run as well as I usually do, which is between 10 and 11 minutes for a 1.5 mile run. The orderly room would respond, "Oh, well dang, that's too bad. You have to go anyway. We know you're in excellent shape and you go to the gym every day, but we want you to fail this test today." That is exactly how it would go down, GUARANTEED.
Tech. Sgt. Timothy Boysun
Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
4/2/2009
Comment: Air Force uniforms: How materials are selected
So glad and pleased to know all military uniforms must be manufactured in the USA due to the Berry Amendment. I am so tired and frustrated that almost everything I purchase is made in China. KUDOS to the U.S. military!!! View story
USAF Veteran Charles F. Jones
Houston, Texas
4/2/2009
Re: PT is kind of like dirty socks
One should be PT ready ALL the time. There should not be anyone not on profile, who is not WarFit all the time. However, the Air Force cannot be truly WarFit with our present PT program. We do not test the overall strength of members enough. It's always run in shorts and sneakers, measure one's waist, give only 20 percent total score from WarFit exercises; sit-ups and push-ups. This has to change because waist measurement has very little to do with WarFit. Waist measurement can be replaced by taking points off for people who smoke, eat fast foods all the time, drink too much coffee in the morning...all lifestyles that predict more problems than the ubiquitous 40-inch waist. Running in shorts and sneakers only help you run the marathon, here in the states. But in the AOR, you are carrying more than two-pounds of equipment. We need to modify the PT test significantly in order to be WarFit. Then AND only then, can we really hit our people hard about being in good PT shape all the time, because only then would it make sense.
Lt. Col. Eric Johnson
Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.
4/1/2009
Re: PT is kind of like dirty socks
While I agree that the status of our physical readiness as a whole is lacking, this mentality that we should 'severely punish and unfavorably discharge our fellow Airmen' shows a severe lack of respect and insight into our fellow wingmen. In light of our failure to establish a culture of fitness beyond the annual test the blame rests on all of us. Additionally, if you're going to try to jump start good fitness habits, we should reflect a measurement standard based in reality, not an unrealistic 30" waist "Ubermensch" ideal. If anything, we should be looking at how Soldiers and Marines are measured for physical readiness. If we want to be touted as warriors then we should be learning from warriors, not federally funded dieticians.
Tech. Sgt. Alby Mejia
Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
4/1/2009
Re: PT is kind of like dirty socks
While I do agree with the overall theme of the letter that Airmen should stay in shape year around, I just don't know how reasonable it is to keep scores up to standard. Take the waist measurement, for example; most people will diet to get their waist at a certain measurement for the most points. Then, after the test, they will relax their eating habits and their waist size may increase a bit. It's kind of the same thing with testing for rank; you study and study up to the test, then take a breather afterwards. It's a reward for all the time you put into getting ready and it's simply human nature. I'm sure surprise testing would work, but I think whoever implements the plan needs to take all things into consideration and use a little common sense.
Tech. Sgt. Eddie B. McDonald
Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
4/1/2009
Comment: PT is kind of like dirty socks
Sergeant Goetsch said, "I just think people dislike PT because some programs are hard physical work that requires a long-term commitment. The bad part about that attitude is if you stay in shape all year long, it's really not that difficult." I agree with the fact that if you stay in shape all year long it's really not that difficult to pass the test. Everyone has to reach that point where they say they have had enough of just trying to pass the test. I ran cross-country as a teenager, and 30 years later I find running as a release from the stresses of the day. More importantly, as you mentioned, we are being paid by the taxpayers to be physically fit. Why not give them a return on their investment in us? View commentary
Master Sgt. Patrick Mahan
Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
3/31/2009
|
