Fitness center preps mission ready Airmen
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --
Editor's note: This is the second in a series of articles about how Ellsworth units prepare Airmen and their families prior to, during and after deployments.
Every day, Ellsworth Airmen train to be mission ready for when deployment notifications are dispersed. In some cases, Airmen may not be physically or mentally prepared for these tasks.
"Our goal at the fitness center is to create mission ready Airmen," said Rick Ives, 28th Force Support Squadron Bellamy Fitness Center director. "When we look at the physical pillar of Comprehensive Airman Fitness, we look at what programs and services we provide that build physical strength and resiliency for that overall CAF."
He added no matter what the Airman's mission is, the fitness center staff wants them to be physically fit, which can be accomplished through various programs and classes provided in their newly renovated facility.
"We have a state-of-the-art facility that just went through a $1.3 million renovation, and if you ask 100 Airmen what's one of their best benefits of being in the Air Force, fitness centers will rank in the top five percent, 100 percent of the time," Ives said.
Fitness assessments, classes, individual training and counseling are just a few of the benefits of the facility, Ives said.
"Our staff does individual fitness assessments, builds fitness programs for people and we also provide 10-12 fitness classes per week come September, which provide an exercise regimen," Ives said. "We also worked with exercise physiologist Brandon Powers, who helped us build training programs that focus on not only individual goals but how to enhance overall fitness."
Not only does Ellsworth have a fitness center, but they also have the Pride Hangar, which acts as an alternate fitness facility that Airmen can utilize for training - one not funded by Air Combat Command. Instead, the 28th BW funds the track, turf and soccer arena locally each year.
"A lot of people think the Pride Hangar is another gym, but Ellsworth is only authorized one so all that you see here is not ACC funded," Ives explained. "If you want things outside of Major Command funds, then your wing funds that building. The wing has been phenomenal the last two to three years in funding a lot of the fitness initiatives that we've had."
Another way the fitness center prepares Airmen for deployments is working with the individual units across the base.
"We set up a workout program for a section out of the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron that was getting ready to deploy," Ives said. "It consisted of a weekly fitness program: a three-days-a-week-workout session including proper stretching, running, pressing and lifting drills, and basic interval training."
Ives, a retired chief master sergeant, counsels Airmen to not wait until a deployment tasking comes to begin their fitness regimen. They should work out and build programs into their daily routine in order to enhance them physically, mentally and even socially - as he learned during his own deployments.
"I started working out when I got my deployment tasking, which I tell people not to do, and I was overweight from what I needed to be," Ives said. "I built my own regiment every week and by the time I deployed I had lost 24 pounds, and while I was deployed I lost another 26 pounds."
He added how, when the base downrange would be attacked, Airmen would have to run to a hardened shelter or duck and cover as just one example of the physical requirements during deployments.
"We were leaving our building and the alarm goes off, we had to beat feet [as they say]," Ives said. "We weren't very far from where we had to get to but you had to be physically fit. You couldn't be struggling."
Regardless of whether a deployment looms overhead, Airmen should continue to take advantage of all the fitness center has to offer, and remember to stay physically prepared for anything the mission requires.
Every day, Ellsworth Airmen train to be mission ready for when deployment notifications are dispersed. In some cases, Airmen may not be physically or mentally prepared for these tasks.
"Our goal at the fitness center is to create mission ready Airmen," said Rick Ives, 28th Force Support Squadron Bellamy Fitness Center director. "When we look at the physical pillar of Comprehensive Airman Fitness, we look at what programs and services we provide that build physical strength and resiliency for that overall CAF."
He added no matter what the Airman's mission is, the fitness center staff wants them to be physically fit, which can be accomplished through various programs and classes provided in their newly renovated facility.
"We have a state-of-the-art facility that just went through a $1.3 million renovation, and if you ask 100 Airmen what's one of their best benefits of being in the Air Force, fitness centers will rank in the top five percent, 100 percent of the time," Ives said.
Fitness assessments, classes, individual training and counseling are just a few of the benefits of the facility, Ives said.
"Our staff does individual fitness assessments, builds fitness programs for people and we also provide 10-12 fitness classes per week come September, which provide an exercise regimen," Ives said. "We also worked with exercise physiologist Brandon Powers, who helped us build training programs that focus on not only individual goals but how to enhance overall fitness."
Not only does Ellsworth have a fitness center, but they also have the Pride Hangar, which acts as an alternate fitness facility that Airmen can utilize for training - one not funded by Air Combat Command. Instead, the 28th BW funds the track, turf and soccer arena locally each year.
"A lot of people think the Pride Hangar is another gym, but Ellsworth is only authorized one so all that you see here is not ACC funded," Ives explained. "If you want things outside of Major Command funds, then your wing funds that building. The wing has been phenomenal the last two to three years in funding a lot of the fitness initiatives that we've had."
Another way the fitness center prepares Airmen for deployments is working with the individual units across the base.
"We set up a workout program for a section out of the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron that was getting ready to deploy," Ives said. "It consisted of a weekly fitness program: a three-days-a-week-workout session including proper stretching, running, pressing and lifting drills, and basic interval training."
Ives, a retired chief master sergeant, counsels Airmen to not wait until a deployment tasking comes to begin their fitness regimen. They should work out and build programs into their daily routine in order to enhance them physically, mentally and even socially - as he learned during his own deployments.
"I started working out when I got my deployment tasking, which I tell people not to do, and I was overweight from what I needed to be," Ives said. "I built my own regiment every week and by the time I deployed I had lost 24 pounds, and while I was deployed I lost another 26 pounds."
He added how, when the base downrange would be attacked, Airmen would have to run to a hardened shelter or duck and cover as just one example of the physical requirements during deployments.
"We were leaving our building and the alarm goes off, we had to beat feet [as they say]," Ives said. "We weren't very far from where we had to get to but you had to be physically fit. You couldn't be struggling."
Regardless of whether a deployment looms overhead, Airmen should continue to take advantage of all the fitness center has to offer, and remember to stay physically prepared for anything the mission requires.
