As the last of the holiday desserts slowly disappear, it’s time to refocus on your health this New Year. Family & MWR offers many options when it comes to staying active, with 5K runs, two Physical Fitness Facilities (PFF’s), disc golf, or golfing at Silver Wings Golf Course.
One of the most unique fitness options for patrons is Boot Camp at the Fortenberry-Colton PFF. This six week program encourages participants to think outside of the box when it comes to working out and tracks your progress along the way. Boot Camp meets five a days a week with two sessions to choose from, 6:30 – 7:30 a.m. or 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. The next session begins on Jan. 7.
Never heard of Boot Camp before?
Kris Rach’, Fitness Specialist and certified Personal Trainer explained the basics of the program.
“Every day there’s cardio. Even if we do weight lifting one day, we cross-train and do cardio.” For this reason Kris suggested that participants have done some kind of cardiovascular exercise before trying Boot Camp. “We do a lot of things outside the box,” she said. “About 95% (of the class) is outside. It gets you out of the closed gym environment and you can be free to just do what you want.”
Boot Camp exercises are very diverse, consisting of plyometrics, agility drills, running, weight lifting, yoga, cross-training, and maintaining a high energy environment.
“A lot of working out is mental for some people,” Kris said. “They can set a glass ceiling for themselves that they’re afraid to push through. At Boot Camp we encourage them to push through it…There’s no I can’t. Only I can.”
Boot Camp is for Authorized Patrons, ages 18 and older. Authorized Patrons include DoD Civilians, Retirees, Active Duty Soldiers, Spouses and dependent Family members. Fort Rucker Contractors may also participate. Kris spoke of a mother and daughter that recently completed Boot Camp. The mother was a military spouse and the daughter, age 19, was preparing to go into the Air Force.
Kris also mentioned there being Boot Camp participants in their late 50’s and early 60’s who completed all six weeks. “They still continue working out and doing the 5K’s. There aren’t any age restrictions, but there are health restrictions if you are not able to complete it.”
For those who do complete Boot Camp, the results are more than rewarding. Weight isn’t used to track progress, but rather body fat percentages, lost inches, how the participant’s clothes fit, and how they feel.
“It’s a great way to start off the New Year,” Kris encouraged. “You’ll start it off with a challenge, meet new people, and better yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, and for some people even spiritually. I love doing it and that’s why I’m here. We have phenomenal instructors in all of our classes. We like to see people challenge themselves. To challenge yourself as an individual is the greatest thing.”
Space is limited, so register early at either PFF. Cost is $100 per participant and includes weekly consultations to track progress, access to all group fitness classes during the six weeks, and T-shirts to those who complete the training.
Orientation takes place Jan. 4 at 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. at the Fortenberry-Colton PFF. For more information, call the Fort Rucker PFF at (334) 255-2296.
Lending Hangar
Soldier Service Center, Rm. 177
(334) 255-2887/3161
Everyone knows that moving is no easy feat. That’s why the Fort Rucker Lending Hangar is here to ease the transition for those PCS-ing to or from the installation. Located in Room 177 on the first floor of the Soldier Service Center, the Lending Hangar offers free use of appliances including coffee pots, toasters, dishes, pots and pans, roll away beds, kids’ items, and even televisions.
Ruth Gonzalez, Relocation Readiness Program Manger, encourages the Fort Rucker community to utilize the Lending Hangar’s free service. “It saves you money and can help you be proactive when moving,” says Ruth. “You can ship your household goods early, so you know they will be there when you arrive and still be able to sleep and cook at home without having to pay for fast food. Financially, it’s a good call.”
The most popular items people look for at the Lending Hangar are cookware and sleeping mats. Microwaves are also a popular choice for those moving on post as the Picerne housing does not come furnished with that particular appliance.
Ruth said people are often surprised to learn that the Lending Hangar has televisions available. “Our TV’s are a big hit because not all lending closets have them,” she explained. “People come looking for kitchen and cooking items, but then they see the TV’s and think ‘Yes, entertainment!’” Televisions are available for Soldiers that are PCSing with family. They are available for check-out for a period of 30 days.
The Lending Hangar is open to all government ID card holders including Soldiers, Army Civilians, Family members and Retirees. Service is also available if you’re not in transition. When Family comes to visit for the holidays, the Lending Hangar is there to ensure you are fully equipped to enjoy your visitors.
So how does it work?
If you’re arriving or leaving Fort Rucker you can check out items for up to 30 days (exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis). You will need to bring the following:
- Current ID card
- PCS orders (if necessary)
- International travel orders (for foreign students)
- Gaining unit & duty phone
- Local address & telephone number
For permanent party or retirees who have Family visiting and need items for short-term lending, simply bring in your ID card.
Every installation has a lending closet that provides free use of basic household items. The inventory of items can vary depending on where you go, so be sure to look into what is available at your destination ahead of time.
The Lending Hangar is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. however customers are encouraged to call ahead of time at (334) 255-2887/3161 to ensure someone is available to assist. The Lending Hangar is part of the Relocation Readiness Program with Army Community Services.
The holidays are just around the corner, and the ACS Financial Readiness Program would like to provide you with some helpful tips to budget your holiday spending this year.
Holiday shoppers, like Santa Claus, could stand a little belt tightening. With the economy still on the ropes, shrunken investment portfolios and dramatically rising costs for such things as health and homeowner’s insurance, many families should be keeping their holiday spending in check. That’s easier said than done. Americans routinely overspend what they plan to every holiday.
Here are some tips from Certified Financial Planner™ professionals to help you keep your spending in check and the New Year free of burdensome holiday debt.
- Put a bright bow on your budget. Shopping for gifts during the holidays is no different from shopping the rest of the year—determine how much you can realistically afford to spend.
- Don’t count on money you don’t have.
- Make a gift list and stick to it.
- Start early. You may not be in the holiday shopping mood yet, but shopping early provides several advantages.
- Start late. The opposite strategy is to start late—after the holidays, when retailers hold big post-holiday sales.
- Pay cash. If you’ve got the discipline and the cash to pay off all credit-card charges every month, fine. But even then, it’s easier to overspend with a credit card than by paying cold hard cash.
- Be creative! Homemade gifts or offers to baby sit or do something special for someone can be an inexpensive yet very personal gift.
- Start saving for next year.
Holiday Alerts!
- Gift Cards: Out of $80 Billion purchased, $8 Billion will never be spent.
- Bank Gift Cards: Cards cost up to $10 and the recipient pays an extra $1 on each transaction.
- Be aware of advertisements in stores, direct mailings and internet.
- Watch out for online scams!
- Be aware of debit card fraud.
- Inventory your credit cards after each shopping trip.
Holiday Blunders to Avoid!
It may seem too basic to bother with, but sit down now and draw up a holiday budget -- yes, right now. This helps for two reasons:
- It will give you some perspective on what you think you spend versus what you actually do.
- You can panic now before you actually go out and spend the cash.
But even careful spenders can find themselves in post-holiday panic when the January credit-card bills roll in. The holidays are an emotional minefield, and one misstep can blow your budget to smithereens. Think before you buy!
For more information on how to keep your wallet and bank account happy, be sure to check out an upcoming ACS Financial Readiness class or contact the ACS office at (334) 255-3815.
