The Air Force will install fitness kiosks at 66 locations by the end of September in an effort to improve Total Force fitness levels despite dwindling budgets, announced the Air Force Personnel Center. The “Fitness on Request” kiosks are part of an initiative “to encourage airmen to live healthy lifestyles and provide alternative avenues to staying fit,” said Scott Nunnelly, AFPC’s fitness program manager, in a Sept. 11 center release. The kiosks will be available to all airmen, retirees, and family members on base as part of the Operational Fitness Program, states the release. Each kiosk will display a large screen where airmen can schedule group exercise sessions and follow along on exercise videos. The kiosks come with 30 pre-loaded workout videos, which overseers will update seasonally. Workouts include activities like kinetics, kickboxing, aerobics, and cycling. Airmen who want a workout that requires special equipment must contact their local fitness and sports center for more information, according to the release. “With many Air Force fitness facilities losing all or part of their … funding, this program will help supplement or replace the group exercise programming,” said fitness program specialist Anthony Alcala. (Randolph report by SSgt. Ian Hoachlander)
The F-35 Joint Program Office has officially announced plans to issue multiple sole-source contracts to Pratt & Whitney to upgrade the fighter’s F135 engine—a widely expected move after Pentagon officials indicated they would do so earlier this year instead of developing an entirely new engine.