BLUF
US Joint Chiefs support programs that promote fitness of mind, body and spirit.Summary
The US military has since 2006, been promoting the concept of ‘Total force fitness’. Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) staff discovered that regarding health, too much emphasis was being placed on the purely physical. The Total Force Fitness program was developed to ensure that all areas relating to Fitness were covered. Total Force Fitness includes the following domains:
- Physical Fitness: being physically mission ready.
- Environmental Fitness: being able to physically adapt to different environments.
- Medical and Dental Fitness: being able to meet the required standards.
- Nutritional Fitness: eating and drinking in a way that promotes health.
- Spiritual Fitness: believing in something bigger than yourself, which gives you hope, meaning and purpose.
- Psychological Fitness: possessing good mental health which will enhance mission readiness.
- Social Fitness: engaging in healthy professional and personal relationships.
- Financial Fitness: managing your money, so financial concerns do not impact on your mission readiness.
There are some cultural differences between Australians and Americans, however, still worth considering what we can learn from the US in terms of our own physical and mental health requirements.
