Fitness in the Military

Department of Defense Directive 1308.1, DoD Physical Fitness and Body Fat Program, dated 30 June 2004, states "Service members shall maintain physical readiness through appropriate nutrition, health and fitness habits ... The Military Services shall design physical fitness training and related physical activities ... that enhance fitness and general health essential to combat readiness. Individual Service members must possess the cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular strength and muscular endurance ... to successfully perform in accordance with their Service-specific mission and military specialty." And while it's imperative the DoD mandate a military fitness program, "service specific missions" may be a thing of the past. This line is now blurred. The United States is involved in operations that span from one side of the globe to the other. It is the opinion of this author that in today's joint environment of increased operations tempo and In-Lieu-Of (ILO) taskings, one DoD fitness program and one test in which all military members, regardless of service, are held to the same standards is yet another stepping stone critical to mission success in the joint environment. This report begins with a historical analysis of the individual service fitness programs leaving the reader with a clear picture of just how the fitness programs have evolved through the years. The current Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force Fitness Programs are all very similar; one can't help but ask: Why not one standardized DoD-wide fitness test?