Incorporating occupational medicine methodology into military fitness for duty and readiness issues

The need for the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to know its personnel's fitness for duty and readiness status is one of the most significant criteria for determining their ability to complete the missions assigned to them. This is especially critical in the current milieu of increasing deployments. However, the USAF has a very limited program to meet this need. Occupation Medicine has had extensive experience in determining job requirements, assessing individuals, and monitoring performance over time. Further integrating Occupational Medicine methodology and the current state of scientific knowledge on physical performance is advocated to improve the USAF's ability to have a fit and ready force able to meet its burgeoning mission. This paper reviews the literature with the following recommendations: a) assess the physical fitness of the force given future demands due to readiness taskings and if necessary mandate individual and unit exercise and provide time for these activities; b) eliminate the weight management and cycle ergometry programs; c) establish physical fitness standards appropriate for each job as well as for initial entry into the USAF, these standards should incorporate ongoing testing, evaluation, and training; d) body fat should be treated only as a medical condition and not as an image standard; and e) establish case management teams to optimize the identification, treatment, return to duty and medical boarding of personnel with injuries or subpar performance.