Fort Rucker Soldiers, Families and civilians were recognized for their outstanding health and fitness improvements during the Commander's Cup for Fitness awards ceremony, June 4.
For six weeks the Fort Rucker community monitored daily steps taken, logged running and biking miles, swam laps and tracked their caloric intake as part of the Commander's Cup for Health and Fitness competition. What happened over these six weeks were improved body mass index numbers, better sleep habits and overall fitness improvement.
Director of Health and Wellness at Defense Health Headquarters, Col. Jeffrey Johnson, was guest speaker for the event and congratulated participants and praised them for improving overall readiness and resiliency.
Johnson said that today, 43,000 U.S. Soldiers are not ready to deploy because they are either not physically or mentally fit.
He continued to say there are many reasons a Soldier might be non-deployable. But one way Soldiers can stay world-wide deployable and be an active, supporting member of their unit is to maintain their resilience through the three prongs of the Performance Triad: getting the proper amount or quality of sleep, activity and nutrition.
"You all purposely included better sleep, nutrition and activity habits into your daily lives because of this competition," said Johnson. "For many of you, exercising and eating healthy will now become a habit. Overall readiness is what this is all about."
Johnson said the challenge is now staying motivated.
"We are fighting an enemy named preventable disease," said Johnson. "Soldiers, Families and civilians all have a role in improving our nation's overall health."
Awards for most improved health were presented to the following:
1st Aviation Brigade
Best company- 98th Army Silver Wings Band
Best Battalion- 1-13th Aviation Regiment
110th Aviation Brigade
Best Company- B Company, 1-11th Aviation Regiment
Best Battalion- 1-11th Aviation Regiment
Garrison Tenant Units
Air Traffic Services Command
United States Army Aeromedical Center
As Fort Rucker looks forward to next year's Commander's Cup and Fit Fest, how do we get better? Where does the Fort Rucker community go from here? Johnson said it continues by partnering with your health team and utilizing the Lifespace Center and other health services offered at Lyster and other care clinics and taking what is learned back into your "lifespace" outside of the doctor's office.
The "lifespace" is where health really happens -- where we sleep, how active we are, and what fuel we are putting in our bodies.
"As you move forward from today, contemplate readiness and what it looks like to you. Your legacy comes down to the choices and decisions you make daily," said Johnson. "Here's to your health."
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