Air Force expanding Fitness Access initiative
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- The Air Force is expanding its after-hours Fitness Access system beyond the original 10 test locations to an additional 59 installations in 2015.
With a goal of improving the quality and accessibility of morale, welfare and recreation services, the Air Force Services Activity transformation initiative ensures that limited fitness center hours no longer hinder Airmen.
“The Air Force has a 24/7 mission. Many of our Airmen work irregular shifts or work all night which can make accessing fitness facilities difficult,” said Col. Mason Pigue, AFSVA director of operations. “Fitness access enables controlled, unsupervised, after-hours access to fitness centers and aims to take care of all Airmen, their readiness and their resiliency even at odd hours,” the colonel added.
In late 2012, the AFSVA began working with 10 installations to test after-hours fitness center access allowing facilities to remain open around the clock, seven days a week. The program saw immediate success and after just six months of implementation, the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy funded the program.
Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, is home to one of those test facilities and has offered 24-hour fitness center access since February 2013. During unmanned hours, most areas of the Little Rock Fitness and Sports Center are open for registered users.
The facility averages 2,000 visits a month during unmanned hours and the program is extremely popular with the base and fitness center staff, said Master Sgt. Peter Maselli III, fitness and sports chief for the 19th Force Support Squadron.
“People love it. Our customers can work out whenever they want and it’s great for our scheduling; we can stay open, unmanned on holidays and wing down days. Little Rock has people working 24/7 to accomplish the mission and it’s important to accommodate all those different schedules,” he said.
For Patrick Devastey, a contracting specialist with the 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio–Lackland, Texas, unlimited fitness center access is a must for his sometimes hectic schedule.
“I’m a busy guy. In contracting, we often work overtime and I have kids so my schedule can be crazy but I can come here anytime; I like that flexibility,” he said.
With a focus on safety and security, the Air Force is now working with installation commanders to expand the program to an additional 59 bases by August. As of last month, 20 installations had installed the system and the remaining should come online by August, Pigue said.
Facilities are limited to one entry and exit point, and center managers must establish an emergency safety zone with emergency procedures and contacts, defibrillators, first aid kits and phones. Installation commanders must also conduct an assessment to recognize risks and identify measures they’ll implement to ensure the area is safe.
To participate, people must register their common access card and sign a user agreement outlining accessible areas during unmanned hours, user responsibilities, expected behavior and consequences for violating the user agreement. If a wing authorizes other users, such as dependents or retirees, a third-party card can be made available to allow access.
“Users understand exactly what their responsibilities are and that if they violate those responsibilities, they can lose their access,” Pigue said.
After registering their cards, users gain access into the fitness center outside of manned hours. Facilities are outfitted with a fitness access system that includes a door lock, surveillance cameras covering all areas of the facility open for use and a stand-alone computer system.
Fitness Access is a program of the AFSVA whose mission is to deliver services programs and activities to build and sustain ready and resilient Airmen and families. For more information about AFSVA and available programs and services, visit www.myairforcelife.com.