Travis Air Force Base, California —
The 60th Air Mobility Wing hosted a Combined Airman Fitness Week and Sports Day at Travis Air Force Base, May 20-23, 2024. The week-long schedule of events provided growth opportunities for Airmen and their families and fostered a culture of health and wellness to enhance Airman readiness.
The itinerary focused on providing Travis Airmen with information on various aspects of overall Airman fitness, with the final day being a Sports Day competition with Beale Air Force Base, Calif. Each day had a theme focusing on the four pillars of the CAF: Social, Spiritual, Spiritual and Sports Day.
“We wanted to make sure our Airmen were healthy not only physically, but socially, mentally and spiritually,” said Ashley Chappell, primary prevention coordinator for the 60th Air Wing Integrated Prevention and Response Office. “This event across the base is to make sure our Airmen are healthy in all four pillars.”
Speaking at various CAF Week events, U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Derek Salmi, 60th AMW commander, encouraged Airmen to find the tools to become their best selves.
“We're grateful for this week to be able to invest in ourselves,” Salmi said. “General Minihan [Air Mobility Command commander] It talks about the warrior mind – mind, body and technique – and how we use the tools we have here to focus on those skill sets.”
In addition to Salmi's opening remarks, the first day focused on public health and alcohol awareness, including video presentations and a discussion panel hosted by the Air Force Officers Against Drunk Driving program.
The second day focused on mental wellbeing, with teams taking part in small group sessions aimed at improving mental health.
Day three was focused on mental health, with Travis members attending sessions on topics such as resilience, stress management and mindfulness, and participating in a scavenger hunt that educated Airmen about resources available on base. Airmen also had the opportunity to participate in the Lumena MindGym, a sensory deprivation, bioresponsive mindfulness space for mental fitness training.
“CAF Week was a great success and confirmed that Travis AFB and the local city form a cohesive community dedicated to supporting the lives of our Airmen and Families,” said Keith Burgess, 60th Air Base IPRO director.
To close out CAF Week, the first ever Sports Day competition was held against Beale Air Force Base across a variety of events, with Travis being presented with the trophy with a score of 92-78.
“It was a truly great day of camaraderie and competition to have everyone from both bases come together for this event,” said Salmi, who added that he looks forward to the next opportunity to defend the trophy and continue to share great moments with Beal in the future.
