Fitness center to open 24/7

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Dakota Bergl
  • 434th ARW Public Affairs
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. --  Starting this summer service members will be able to use Grissom’s fitness center 24/7.

Service members’ common access cards will allow them access to the fitness center after hours once the card has been authorized by the 434th Force Support Squadron staff.

According to Chief Master Sgt. William Somers, 434th FSS superintendent, the process to get authorized will be simple. Members will be required to sign an acknowledgement of the fitness center guidelines following which they will be shown the location of emergency equipment including the newly installed automated external defibrillator (AED) and emergency phone.

“Once we have the signed agreement and enter you into the system you can swipe your CAC to get into fitness center,” said Somers.

Somers stressed the importance of safety and following the rules while at the fitness center. He said that security forces will be including the fitness center in their security checks in addition to the other new safety equipment.

“I would recommend always using the buddy system when you are working out,” said Somers. “We will also be reviewing the security recordings every day, so if anyone isn’t following the rules they will have their card suspended.”

He also said that, for accountability reasons, only CAC holders who have been authorized will be allowed to in the fitness center.

“We don’t want anyone to swipe their card then hold the door for 20 of their friends to come play basketball or something,” said Somers. “It all comes back to safety, we want make sure that everyone who goes into the fitness center has taken the tour and knows where to find the emergency equipment.”

The only area of the fitness center that will be off limits after hours are the saunas.

“You will be able to go into the sauna, but the controls will be locked,” said Somers. “We don’t want anyone to pass out from the heat and be unconscious and alone.”

Col. Douglas Schwartz, 434th Air Refueling Wing commander, has been working with the fitness center to make the 24-hour schedule a reality.

“This is a great news story for Grissom,” Schwartz said. “This has been in the works for a while and our FSS folks have steadily and consistently been pushing for this. I’m happy that they are making this happen and encourage people to take advantage of the great benefit.”

Marine Staff Sgt. Richard Kennedy, an admin chief from Detachment 1, Communications Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 45, 4th Marine Logistics Group, is one of the service members stationed at Grissom who would benefit from the change.

“I have a newborn at home so by the time I’m off work my wife is ready for a break,” said Kennedy. “If I could come workout at night it would be a big help.”

The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Men and women from the Hoosier Wing routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission.

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