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Air Force uses music to help Airmen meet physical fitness standards

  • Published
  • By Ava Leone
  • Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas --  Airmen can swap their stopwatches for soundtracks, since the U.S. Air Force revealed its “2-mile Tunes” initiative to motivate service members through music to cross the finish line a little faster.

The Department of the Air Force Marketing Directorate put together several playlists to help Airmen train for their Physical Training tests. There are four playlists segmented by age: under 25, 25-29, 30-34 and 35-39 years old. Each playlist is designed to help Airmen fulfill the 2-mile run standards required for their specific age group.

After teasing the release with elusive social media posts in the weeks prior, DAF Marketing announced in early August that the playlists were available on Spotify.

The announcement included instructions for women to finish their 2-mile run before the fourth track ends, and for men to finish their run before the second to last song ends. Every playlist reflects the different run times the four age groups need to hit on the day of their PT tests.

“Our objective is to optimize the two-mile run experience, whether that means sustaining a consistent pace or driving toward a personal record. The playlist is strategically timed to support both,” said Tech. Sgt. Marcy Munday, DAF Marketing Directorate social media manager. “While many individuals run with music, we curated this playlist to serve as a pacer, helping you maintain the optimal pace to maximize your points.”

The Marketing team, a directorate of Air Education and Training Command, brainstorms ways to utilize emerging media technology and platforms to reach current and potential future Airmen and Guardians. During one meeting, the staff tossed around the idea of using playlists to bolster readiness for the PT test.

According to Munday, no other military branch has formally established a presence on an audio streaming service, so the team decided to take advantage of the opportunity.

“There is a lot of online discussion about building a ‘culture of fitness,’ but that looks different at each unit. We want to help motivate everyone, from new recruits preparing for BMT to seasoned Airmen choosing to run the 2 miles for their fitness test,” Munday said. “Especially for new recruits, prepping for a PT test could be daunting, so we want to make them feel like part of the team and help them rise to the challenge.”

The DAF Marketing Directorate, realigned under AETC Headquarters in 2025, drives brand strategy and digital engagement for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve. Its mission is to inspire the next generation to consider the unique opportunities of military service within the Air and Space Forces across the global digital landscape.

The team encourages everyone who uses one of the playlists to tag @usaf_recruiting on Instagram to share which song they ended the run on. And, to leave song recommendations in the comments section and through direct messages.

“While we must match the tracks to the target run times, if you have a must-add song, we want to know,” Munday said. “These playlists are built for Airmen, and we want to include whatever it takes to keep you motivated through those 2 miles. Don’t worry if you’re 40 and older, your playlist is coming soon!”

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