Physical Fitness Standards to Support Readiness and Deployability: An Examination of Department of the Air Force Policies and Culture

To ensure its service members have the requisite physical fitness to serve, the Department of the Air Force has established a variety of medical and physical standards. The authors analyze Tier 1 fitness assessment (FA) data to determine whether the FA components meet their intended purpose to minimize health risks and maximize readiness of airmen, and the authors also examine perceptions about fitness policies and the culture of fitness.