The Department of the Air Force announced its Culture of Fitness initiative to transform the way Airmen and Guardians approach physical fitness and readiness. The initiative aims to reinvigorate a holistic culture of well-being that empowers Airmen and Guardians to be more dominant, agile and lethal through physical fitness.
The transformation to a Culture of Fitness comes after a critical review of existing DAF fitness programs, which revealed necessary improvements to increase overall well-being and operational readiness required for mission success. The department has structured the initiative around four key lines of effort:
• Being Physically and Medically Ready: Proactively manage health to minimize duty limitations and ensure deployable and employed-in-place forces can execute operations.
• Fostering a Culture of Fitness: Elevate the prominence of regular unit physical conditioning and leadership accountability.
• Fueling a Culture of Fitness: Empower a healthier, fitter force by providing nutritional resources and promoting holistic well-being.
• Measuring a Culture of Fitness: Revolutionize fitness assessments to accurately reflect operational demands and drive data-informed training.
“Having a Culture of Fitness for the Department of the Air Force is more than just physical training,” said Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink. “It is about making sure we enable Airmen and Guardians to be wholly resilient, healthy and ready to defend our nation.”
Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Lohmeier will lead the department through this reform by overseeing the Air Force’s and Space Force’s efforts to cultivate a Culture of Fitness across the force.
“This initiative will ensure our Air Force and Space Force remain capable and lethal,” Lohmeier said. “I am honored to champion this effort, but its success depends upon proper attention from our command teams across the department. You have my commitment that I will provide you with the resources and guidance necessary for you to succeed.”
The Air Force and Space Force are actively implementing several initiatives in support of the department’s broader transformation. One such effort includes improving fitness infrastructure by ensuring 24/7 access to fitness facilities across all installations. As of now, 77 out of 84 installations have round-the-clock access to their primary fitness centers, representing 139 out of 181 total fitness centers.
Recognizing the crucial role of nutrition in overall well-being, the Air Force is also continuing its “Go for Green” and DAF Dining Facility Menu Modernization efforts, focusing on providing healthier and more nutritious dining options to Airmen and Guardians.
The Space Force is continuing its push to keep Guardians mission ready by looking beyond just physical fitness. Since 2022, the service has followed a Holistic Health Approach — a science-based program that supports overall well-being across eight areas: social, physical, financial, spiritual, preventive care, environmental, nutritional and psychological. Rather than the traditional approach of strictly focusing on unit workouts and recurring fitness tests, the program emphasizes prevention, resilience and everyday healthy habits. The goal is to strengthen connections, improve quality of life and help Guardians perform at their best — both mentally and physically.
The Space Force also created Guardian Resilience Teams in 2022. These teams bring together experts in areas like mental health, nutrition, fitness and family support. By embedding them directly within units, the Space Force aims to give Guardians and their families easier access to resources and find support before challenges become crises.
As the DAF continues to roll out resources, tools and updates — including enhancements to physical training, nutrition and overall fitness initiatives — Airmen and Guardians can expect ongoing communication to help them fully engage with and benefit from this transformative approach to readiness and well-being.
In line with this initiative, the Air Force and Space Force will announce changes to their respective physical fitness programs in the near future.
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