Comprehensive Soldier Fitness

By Ms. Stefanie Love (ocpa-plans)July 14, 2009

Comprehensive Soldier Fitness

What is Comprehensive Soldier Fitness'

The Army established Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) to enhance the resilience, readiness and potential of Soldiers, family members and Army civilians.

CSF will develop and institute a holistic fitness program for Soldiers, families and Army civilians to enhance performance and build resilience. As a result we will have an Army of balanced, healthy, self-confident people whose resilience and total fitness enables them to excel in an era of high operational tempo and persistent conflict.

Resilience is the ability to grow and thrive in the face of challenges and to bounce back from adversity.

CSF provides specific mental and physical resilience techniques that will increase physical, emotional, social, spiritual and family strengths through a program of continuous self-development.

Why is this important to the Army'

For nearly eight years, the Army has operated in an environment of sustained combat, resulting in increased levels of stress on the force. However, many Soldiers experience personal and professional growth as a result of their deployments. CSF exists to ensure all Soldiers have the skills to grow personally, succeed in their job, thrive in their community, and grow within their family.

The Army recognizes the need to focus more holistically on fitness, which is more than just physical fitness. Resilience training -- which teaches coping strategies among other skills -- and self-development, are just some of the elements incorporated into the CSF program. Additionally, Soldiers, family members and Army civilians will be linked with programs to help them be successful throughout their career.

How is CSF Different'

The program is the Army's effort to increase our ability to prevent problems before they occur. We want to open our focus from just finding and treating dysfunction and disease, to enhancing fitness and prevention.

For example, rather than simply training people to use CPR on heart attack victims, people should learn how to help prevent heart disease with exercise and a sound diet. As a result, people will reduce the risk of heart attacks through preventative measures.

What are the Army's Plans for the Future'

Beginning at accession, each recruit will be confidentially assessed using the Global Assessment Tool, a survey that determines the psychological strength of the individual. Soldiers will be re-assessed throughout their career, helping them monitor and control personal growth. Based on the assessment, CSF will offer a menu of appropriate self-development opportunities to Soldiers.

CSF provides instruction throughout the Soldier's Army service on specific mental and physical skills he or she can use to enhance performance when facing many of life's challenges.

CSF will be fully implemented by the Army, including the National Guard and Army Reserve, in 2010. Once the program is implemented throughout the uniformed force, a variation of CSF will be available for family members and Army civilians.

Resources:

<a href="http://www.army.mil/csf">Comprehensive Soldier Fitness</a>