JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Approximately 83 U.S. Service members, their families and civilian employees gathered outside Anderson Field House at Fort Eustis, Virginia, to participate in the 5K kickoff for the Civilian Fitness Commander's Cup Challenge, Jan. 7, 2016.
According to Darlean Basuedayva, Fort Eustis health promotion officer, the Fort Eustis Community Health Promotion Council initiated the six-month competition to reinvigorate the fitness culture for civilian community members at Joint Base Langley-Eustis.
"We wanted to make sure we got our civilians moving as part of the performance triad, which includes getting enough sleep, nutrition and physical fitness," said Basuedayva,
The challenge highlights Army Regulation 663, which allows for Department of Defense employees to participate in three hours of command-sponsored fitness activities per week.
Throughout the challenge, the Health Promotions Office will host activities ranging from "fitness lunch-and-learns," to runs and free fitness assessments as a way to promote challenge participation.
According to Basuedayva, the challenge not only gets participants into shape, but encourages them to become more aware of their physical activities and health practices in general as it requires tallying points earned from events throughout the challenge.
For some participants, the importance of fitness improvements was established before the kickoff began.
"I stopped running last year ... and I'd been giving all these excuses as to why I hadn't started again, so this was the perfect opportunity," said Rebecca Betit, a program analyst with U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command's G1/4.
Betit took advantage of attending the competitions kickoff to not only get back into working out, but to build camaraderie with coworkers.
"I think this is great because the guy sitting next to you is encouraging you," said Betit. "I work with Jojuan Huber, who helped organize the challenge. She sits two desks away from me, so the motivation is constantly there."
Diane Hamlet, the memorial affairs coordinator for the Fort Eustis Casualty Assistance Center, also felt the challenge was a way to promote esprit de corps between civilians and their military counterparts.
"I like to be part of team environments, and I think this promotes such," said Hamlet. "It allows the civilians to feel a part of what the military that they support."
While a civilian competition, military members including installation leadership participated to support their civilian team members in their fitness journey.
"We really have a symbiotic relationship," said Maj. Gen. Anthony C. Funkhouser, commander of TRADOC Center for Initial Military Training. "Our organizations are made up of military members and DoD civilians - we're one team one fight - so together this is a part of sharing the same initiatives to take care of the civilian's health and welfare as well."
While the 5K kicked off the start of the challenge, those interested in participating can still register through Feb. 10, by emailing civilianfitnessjble@gmail.com. Upon registration, entrants will receive a welcome email detailing the competitions events as well as a breakdown of the contest's points system.