HomeHomeNewsArticle Display

Airmen need to get moving before new fit test hits

GOWEN FIELD, Boise, Idaho -- Gowen Field airmen who act fast have time to test before the new, tougher Air Force fitness standards go into effect July 1, 2010.

Air Force officials say that the new test will give a more accurate assessment of the fitness of the airmen, but it will require more exertion during the test.

"The biggest change is there will be more emphasis placed on the run and less on the waist measurement," said Senior Master Sgt. Becky Coles, the 124th Fighter Wing ground safety manager and unit fitness monitor.

According to Coles, those who complete their 2010 fitness test before July will receive two scores - one being the actual score under the current instruction and one showing the projected score had the new Air Force Instruction standards applied. This will help gauge their future performance under the new test.

Coles explained that the projected score will provide a goal to shoot for before being tested under the new standard.

Col. J.R. Compton, 124th Fighter Wing commander, strongly encourages all airmen - especially those who haven't been running as part of their normal fitness routine - to take advantage of this opportunity and complete their test before July. Airmen will then be able to take the following year until the 2011 test to incorporate regular runs into their fitness regimen, he said,

New fitness program effective 1 July 2010, will still include a 1.5-mile run, waist measurement, pushups and sit ups with a 100 point maximum and 75 point minimum passing score. The fit test will continue to be conducted once each calendar year unlike the active duty Air Force that will be tested every six months under the new program.

Currently the aerobic run counts for 50 percent of the test score, body composition 30 percent and pushups and sit-ups 10 percent each. Under the new program, the run will count for 60 percent, body composition 20 percent and the will remain the same 10 percent each. Age groups have been changed to: younger than 30, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60 and older.

Overall the standards will be tougher. The run times are significantly faster but the waist measurements have increased. Waist measurements needed to get a perfect score went from 32.5 inches to 35 for men and 29 inches to 31.5 for women.

"By meeting the run time requirements it shows that you have the cardio fitness to perform in a battle environment," said Coles.

"Fitness is a vital component of Air Force culture, "said Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz said. "These challenging times underscore the importance of properly caring for our most valuable resource: our Airmen."

All fitness tests conducted after July 1, 2010 will be scored and recorded under the new instruction. A passing score of 75 is still required for all promotions, Professional Military Education training and deployments.