Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey T. Brunson, a Soldier assigned to 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, completes the sprint-drag-carry event during an Army Combat Fitness Test at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, April 21, 2022. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Mary Katzenberger. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

Encouraged by positive results it has produced among 28 brigades to date, the Army is continuing to expand its Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program. Nutritionists, physical therapists, strength and conditioning coaches and other related professionals are now providing services to soldiers in 71 Army brigades, with plans to expand to 111 units and then throughout the active-duty, reserve and National Guard communities, the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) reported.

“We cannot afford not to do this, because what it is giving back to the Army in terms of soldier lethality, readiness and everything else, it is paying for itself,” said Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus.

The key to H2F’s success hinges upon teaching and encouraging soldiers to maintain their health and fitness at the highest level possible while taking steps to ensure they do not get injured in the process. Mental health, sleep, proper nutrition and spiritual aspects all are addressed. The plan differs from the Army Combat Fitness Test regimen all soldiers must complete in that while the test measures fitness at a given time, H2F focuses more on addressing health habits on a regular and continuing basis.

“Never have we had a program that got after the holistic components of mind, body, soul, sleep and nutrition,” Mingus said. “It takes all of those things together in a meaningful way to allow that soldier to be better, faster, stronger.”

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