KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The 81st Training Group has been very innovative in keeping their mission going despite COVID-19. They’ve started tele-education to reduce the number of students in classrooms, social distancing students while marching to and from class and group physical fitness has changed to meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines.
One way the 81st TRG has changed physical fitness is by purchasing Beaver Fit Boxes for the students.
“Introducing the Beaver Fit Boxes was a great way to give our students a different outlet to work out,” said Tech. Sgt. Dynasty Arentz, 336th Training Squadron military training leader. “Currently, there are only a limited number of people allowed in indoor gyms. The Beaver Fit Boxes are outside and can host up to 50 students at a time.”
The Beaver Fit Box is a crate full of exercise equipment to include flat benches, barbells, pull-up bars and more.
“The Air Force is moving more towards tactical fitness,” said Arentz. “The box offers more tactical equipment rather than just standard gym equipment and this gives students the chance to train the way the Air Force wants them to.”
Keeping COVID-19 out of the Triangle is one of the 81st Training Wing’s top priorities, but they also want to provide avenues for Airmen to continue to grow and develop outside of class. The three Beaver Fit Boxes placed around the tech school Triangle allows for up to 150 extra students to workout at a time while still meeting CDC and local guidelines.
“We need to keep COVID-19 out of the tech school Triangle so we can resume normal training operations,” said Arentz. “The pandemic has effected the students’ morale and lifestyle. We need to do all we can to make sure the students are physically and mentally ready for the operational Air Force.”
Until normal training can resume, the 81st TRG will continue to adapt and overcome the obstacles COVID-19 presents them with.
“Our job is to keep the Air Education Training Command’s number one mission alive,” said Senior Master Sgt. Brian Richardson, 81st TRG military training superintendent. “We’re still keeping the COVID-19 countermeasures in place to protect the students but we’re also giving them the opportunity to be physically and mentally fit.”