Staff fitness

The irony is we are supposed to be looking to recruit (and retain) staff with a view to them going into uniform. It’s bloody hard enough getting people to volunteer for anything, so putting extra things, for instance a fitness test, in a hobby where physical fitness isn’t a requirement, isn’t going to be an encouraging factor.

If this was introduced, what is the ‘enticement’ for uniform service? Don’t say pay. Given that uniform service normally means more grief.

When I read posts it has nothing to do with fitness and everything as said earlier with aesthetics and maybe to make us or make us feel more RAF.

There are plenty of aesthetically pleasing staff around who couldn’t run if their lives depended on it. I’ve got 3 uniformed staff who smoke and when we get into a bit of sport with the cadets, it’s me the fat git who isn’t wheezing. They would fit the pleasing on the eye in uniform criteria, set by some on here.

So what is it aesthetics or physical fitness? You may not get both.

I wonder how many uniformed staff would bother if they failed a fitness test and were given the choice of a retake and resign your Commission or ATC SNCO appt if they didn’t pass?

I made a suggestion to oc wing not so long ago that we could introduce an optional annual fitness test where it was best effort, not necessarily reaching a minimum standard. This was so that we could show that we had a positive attitude to fitness. This would contribute along with a number of other set requirements for uniformed personnel like minimum number of PTDs and attendance on an annual camp for an ATC annual bounty.

I also wanted a wing appointed PTI who’s role was to promote healthy living and provide guidance on staying active. The role would not be to scream and shout at cadets but would provide another development route for SNCOs other than aspiring to be a drill instructor.

Both ideas were accepted by oc wing as great ideas but the ideas were then shot down at the following WSOs meeting.

Surely a Wing PTI is just your wing sports officer???

Which may be someone that has more than one role, like in my wing where he’s the BADER POC, Media and Sports officer, not much time left to go around the sqns!

As said this may be good for a SNCO who has an interest in Personal Fitness that can help out on sports nights and do the healthy living presentations.

We already have an optional fitness test - it’s called the staff race at Wing Cross Country.

There is no way that many ‘Wing Sports Officer’ that I have seen have a clue about actually delivering any level of fitness training, whereas some occaisionally manage to organise a successful event (yes I know there are some good ones…). A PTI on the otherhand is actually qualified to deliver fitness training and instruction.
I see there being some merit in the suggestion of a wing PTI, as a SNCO I have no great interest in drill (so sue me!), but have interest in phys ed, AT and shooting. A wing PTI type to help develop that side might have some mileage, and let it not be forgotten that phys ed used to on the sylabus.

[quote=“glass half empty 2” post=11278]The irony is we are supposed to be looking to recruit (and retain) staff with a view to them going into uniform. It’s bloody hard enough getting people to volunteer for anything, so putting extra things, for instance a fitness test, in a hobby where physical fitness isn’t a requirement, isn’t going to be an encouraging factor.

If this was introduced, what is the ‘enticement’ for uniform service? Don’t say pay. Given that uniform service normally means more grief.

When I read posts it has nothing to do with fitness and everything as said earlier with aesthetics and maybe to make us or make us feel more RAF.

There are plenty of aesthetically pleasing staff around who couldn’t run if their lives depended on it. I’ve got 3 uniformed staff who smoke and when we get into a bit of sport with the cadets, it’s me the fat git who isn’t wheezing. They would fit the pleasing on the eye in uniform criteria, set by some on here.

So what is it aesthetics or physical fitness? You may not get both.

I wonder how many uniformed staff would bother if they failed a fitness test and were given the choice of a retake and resign your Commission or ATC SNCO appt if they didn’t pass?[/quote]

True but im not worried about those of us that have a little bit of belly on us what im worried about is those that are tha big they have issues just walking up a few stairs I know of 3 like that in uniform and one that is going for a commission and Im the only one that thinks they are not suitable I mean they can hardly walk because of their size.

Im really not trying to be anti big people but there has to be a limit??

More on the wing PTI role, the Sports Officer is an officer that coordinates the wing level competitions and other sporting events. The wing PTI is an SNCO who would be responsible for ensuring that squadrons were delivering a healthy balance of fitness into their training programmes, whilst also delivering things like CSLA courses to squadron staff/cadets. Advice on healthy eating plays a part in that role too as I know too many Sqn admin offices are full of cakes and biscuits, and that tuck shops are just fizzy drinks and chocolates. I don’t feel it promotes the right attitude in our organisation.

The idea of the wing bounty is that if you were to receive extra financial incentive for the things you volunteer for then you’d be more willing to do it. Having the fitness test as part of that would mean that those not interested in getting/staying fit can just carry on as normal.

Or 400m at Wing Athletics… Even better, there could be a Region heat at Region Sports, I’d pay to watch that :whistle:

[quote=“mike gormley” post=11299]More on the wing PTI role, the Sports Officer is an officer that coordinates the wing level competitions and other sporting events. The wing PTI is an SNCO who would be responsible for ensuring that squadrons were delivering a healthy balance of fitness into their training programmes, whilst also delivering things like CSLA courses to squadron staff/cadets. Advice on healthy eating plays a part in that role too as I know too many Sqn admin offices are full of cakes and biscuits, and that tuck shops are just fizzy drinks and chocolates. I don’t feel it promotes the right attitude in our organisation.

The idea of the wing bounty is that if you were to receive extra financial incentive for the things you volunteer for then you’d be more willing to do it. Having the fitness test as part of that would mean that those not interested in getting/staying fit can just carry on as normal.[/quote]

Would just one PTI be enough? what standard would they be trained to?

As for the healthy eating not saying its a bad idea but isnt it the schools/parents jobs to teach kids about healthy eating?

Anyway the question was about staff fitnees not cadets as the staff are the ones that are going to get confused with the RAF when in uniform even more so when on parades etc.

[quote=“zinggy” post=11302]
As for the healthy eating not saying its a bad idea but isnt it the schools/parents jobs to teach kids about healthy eating? [/quote]

you’d think so but even in my 9-5 employment we have reminders and based on what i hear from those who have passed through RTS it is mentioned there how to maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout one’s RAF career…cant see why a Sqn shouldnt consider doing the same

i do however agree with your point, some parents do need to take greater responsibility in their childs upbringing and start acting like role models for their own children!