Bringing civilian skills to the fight

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alan Abernethy
  • 916th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  It's rare to find traditional reservists who perform nearly the exact same duties in their civilian and military careers.

The 916th Air Refueling Wing is lucky enough to have two individuals, Tech. Sgt. Tim Kelly and Airman 1st Class Rachel Patterson, 916th Force Support Squadron services specialists, who integrate their fitness training skills and military service.

Both are accredited, certified personal trainers and work full-time in the fitness industry, said Patterson.  While serving on drill weekends, they also aid anyone struggling to meet Air Force fitness standards or those with a desire to improve their performance.

"For me, it's about saving careers," said Kelly. "We have people getting kicked out due to fitness problems."

The average Airman being forced out due to a physical training failure has 12-15 years of military experience, he added. Considering the cost of basic training, technical school, advanced schools and clearances, the loss of an experienced Airman is a huge sacrifice for the Air Force.

"If I can train them the right way and watch them save their career...that's incredible," Kelly said.

Kelly, an Air Force fitness specialist, and Patterson, a physical training leader, offer guided physical training sessions at least once per drill weekend.

Patterson and Kelly also agree that they provide a valuable service to the Air Force and experience a great deal of personnel satisfaction from their work.

"My favorite part is getting someone who doesn't know anything about it; what they want to do, how to do it...and setting them up, meeting with them consistently and then they go do it on their own," said Patterson. "You continue to check in with them and they are still doing it, loving it and seeing results."

Thankfully, personalized physical fitness training, when paired with hard work, definitely produces results, said Kelly.

"I failed a PT test and asked Kelly for help," said Tech. Sgt. Kendall White, 916th Crew Communications NCO in charge. "Kelly provided me with a training and diet plan. Since then, I've lost 35 pounds and have had no problem passing my tests.

White has since gone on to become a PTL, he said, adding that he attributes his success to Kelly's instruction.

"I like to impart that this isn't just about the test, it's about your lifestyle," said Kelly. "You need to incorporate fitness into your everyday habits."