Total Force Fitness Summit 2021: Maximizing the Health and Well-being of Service Members and Their Families

Total Force Fitness (TFF) is a multidomain, holistic framework that provides the Department of Defense (DoD) with the capability to assess, promote, and sustain human performance optimization across the full spectrum of components key to meeting mission requirements. On September 14 and 15, 2021, in Bethesda, MD, The Consortium for Health and Military Performance convened a second TFF Summit with the goal of promoting the mission of optimizing the health and well-being of our service members across their careers. Participants included scientists, clinicians, educators, public health professionals, and military leaders from all the services. The current operating picture of TFF within the DoD was described, and then working groups were convened to address issues related to (1) delivering full spectrum health and performance services; (2) advocacy, awareness, and empowerment; (3) research; (4) education; and (5) standardization, branding, and metrics. The outcomes of the summit included recommendations that operational leadership and a consolidated and joint approach are required for TFF to be successful, and TFF must be regarded as an integral part of the National Defense, Security, and Military Strategy. To that end, TFF should be aligned within OUSD(P&R), not the Military Health System, so it extends beyond the medical setting and fully supports mission readiness and performance. Importantly, we must be proactive and teach new recruits about the TFF holistic approach to sustain optimal performance across their careers.