A Modest Proposal

Though we conduct PRT once a day, five-times a week, individual sedentary habits may still impact the combat readiness of the company. We conduct PRT in the morning for an hour, after personal hygiene and breakfast, the duty day continues and the levels of activity vary by section and individuals. The levels of activity are sedentary, light to moderate activity, heavy activity, and exceptional activity; most of the company range from sedentary thru light to moderate on normal days and heavy to exceptional in the field. We need to identify the possible effects of our behavior on combat readiness, short and long term.

The Problem and Need for Investigation

The age of the company’s population ranges from 18 to 42 years old and

Moving or activity increases blood flow, breaks down fat, burns calories, and helps to maintain a healthy weight. It can be as simple as walking to battalion instead of driving, stretching often while working on the computer, or taking the long way to the latrine. However, a more proactive and pragmatic solution is turn the existing desks in to sit-stand workstations.

Commercial desk add-ons are available that go on top of existing desks. The add-on allows the Soldier to use their computer standing or sitting, seamlessly transitioning from one to the other. Yes, walking 10–15 minutes every hour increases blood flow, burns calories, and improves mood; but, it may be an impractical or counter-productive. For example, planning training on DTMS or writing an opord, taking a walking break will affect the task of inputting the information and increase the time to complete the task. Moreover, a ten-minute walking break every hour results in 50 to 75 minutes away from the computer; meaning Soldiers must spend additional time at work away from their

Furthermore, as leaders we must make sure our Soldiers are ready and have the resources available to maintain mission readiness. Active workstations can lead to long-term health benefits, reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases – such as depression, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke and some forms of cancer – and help reduce health care costs.

Moreover, standing for long periods of time is bad for health, too; however, the proper ratio of sitting and standing may lead to increased energy. More energy at works leads to more energy at home for healthier leisure activities. Health issues cause discomfort which affects focus. Lack of focus adversely affect performance and diminished performance leads to reduced productivity. Sitting too much has a snowball effect that impacts Soldiers professional and personal lives now and long after they leave