CAF: Don't just survive, thrive

  • Published
  • By Jessica Banks
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Comprehensive Airman Fitness isn't simply another Air Mobility Command sustenance program. It's a lifestyle. In the words of Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., AMC commander, "It's important to survive. But I want you to be able to thrive."

CAF was implemented the beginning of July last year. Since its start, CAF has spread throughout the 12 Air Mobility Command Bases. The question for some remains, though, what exactly is CAF? The name might suggest it simply involves a stricter exercising regimen paired with a healthier diet, after all that is what most people think of when the word "fitness" is mentioned. AMC is not simply concerned with the physical health of Airmen though. CAF lifestyle is dedicated to educating and serving in the way of mental, physical, social and spiritual health through positive behaviors -- caring, committing, connecting, communicating and celebrating -- for not only active duty military, but for their families as well.

As the Chinese thinker and social philosopher, Confucius so eloquently stated, "To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must cultivate our personal life; and to cultivate our personal life, we must first set our hearts right."

This view demonstrates CAF's mission of creating a more unified, healthy, self-confident, content, and prepared Air Force unit. AMC recognizes that if Airmen are mentally, physically, socially and spiritually equip under everyday circumstances, they will likely be able to take these fundamental lessons and apply them under times of duress. As Miguel de Cervantes, Spanish novelist and author of Don Quixote, once explained, "Forewarned, forearmed; to be prepared is half the victory." Just as the military has always trained to be prepared by way of war exercises, briefings, simulators, and extensive education, CAF will now enable Airmen to train and better cope with issues on a more personal level.

The next issue involves taking a more in-depth approach to each of these categories. Starting with mental health. Mental fitness is best understood as emotional-well being. It's about finding healthy, productive ways to deal with stress and anxiety, reaching a higher level of self-confidence and self-worth, and about having an overall positive outlook on life. This can be done through various methods, some people find emotional-well being through therapy and counseling, but not everyone needs this. Some people can find stress-release through keeping a journal, taking one thing at a time, talking with friends and family, hitting the gym, making lists, and meditation or prayer. It becomes apparent very quickly that the four pillars of CAF overlap quite readily. None of these can stand alone. To lead a relatively stress-free and balance life, exercise, faith, and family and friend, reliance is key.

Physical fitness is perhaps more straightforward than some of the others, being the first thing that comes to mind when the word fitness is mentioned. It entails eating a balanced diet, which is obviously different for each individual. Overall though, cutting out processed foods, and eating lean proteins while incorporating more vegetables and fruits is a great way to start. Along with the diet, exercise on a regular basis is to be encouraged. As previously stated, exercise helps not only with physical fitness but also with mental fitness and offers a whole range of benefits.

Social fitness and well-being is concerned with connecting -- whether it's connections with family, friends, co-workers, strangers, or even a better understanding of our self. As a social creature, we are constantly striving to relate to people and feel a sense of togetherness. This might mean talking at family dinners or going on a vacation, or maybe it means joining a sports team and hanging out with friends, or it can even be as simple as talking with someone on the phone. Either way, CAF recognizes that feeling connected and having a support system is a vital part of living a happier, healthier, more balanced life.

Lastly, there is spiritual health. This is without a doubt, the most personal of the pillars. Whether you are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, agnostic, atheist, simply spiritual, or fit into one of the countless other faiths and beliefs, what matters is that your beliefs are important. People all over the world take time to celebrate and acknowledge their faith. This might mean, prayer, or meditation or talking about your beliefs with friends, family or a religious figure in your community.

Find what you believe in, and giving time and dedication toward those beliefs can help to add purpose and meaning to your life. CAF wants you to take time to focus on your beliefs and system of values, whether it's on base at one of the services, one-on-one with a chaplain, off-base, or at home - find what works for you.

By whatever means you choose to help make your life more balanced, healthy, productive and meaningful, CAF's goal is to help give you all the tools you need to make this possible. CAF exists to enable each individual to be prepared as possible when it comes time to represent and serve the Air Force, this means being mentally, physically, socially and spiritually geared up for whatever is thrown at you. It's a journey toward excellence, and as Pat Riley, former NBA coach phrased it, "Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better."