What is Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness?
Army Families are a cornerstone in the foundational strength of the Army. They stand strong behind the Soldiers who are serving their State and our Nation. The health and happiness of the military spouse, who keeps on keeping on while their significant other is drilling, activated or deployed, is vital to the health and happiness of the Soldier connected to them. Even the strongest of Family members can get worn down by the day-to-day trails that are unique to military Families. Childcare, finances, household repairs and the emotional struggle of missing a deployed loved one – these are all very real challenges faced by military Families.
In an effort to address these challenges, Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) was established in 2008 by then-Army Chief of Staff GEN George W. Casey Jr. Rather than taking a reactive approach to providing care, he proposed that a proactive path was best. Instead of focusing only on treatment after the issues arose, GEN Casey’s program would also provide preventative measures to make Soldiers stronger on the front end, before treatment was ever required. Resilience training, as it was called, was created to teach service members the life skills needed to bounce back stronger from challenges. The program was renamed Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness (CSF2) in October 2012.
Designed to build resilience and enhance the performance of the Army Family, CSF2 is an Army-wide program that includes Soldiers, their Families and Army Civilians. The program equips the Army Family with self-development tools and training so they may cope with adversity, perform better in stressful situations and thrive in life.
By helping Soldiers stay healthy, CSF2 maximizes their potential to confront and rise to challenges common in Army life. It teaches skills to support emotional success, both during times of conflict and in times of peace.
CSF2’s instructors and facilitators use individual assessments, tailored virtual training, classroom training and embedded resilience experts to provide the teaching and principles that undergird the program. Soldiers and their spouses may build resilience at their own pace, and even form their own social networks within the program – all based on individual needs and preferences.
Online CSF2 tools include the Global Assessment Tool (GAT) 2.0, which allows users to take a confidential survey that assesses their physical and psychological health; and ArmyFit, which provides tailored information and resources on up-to-date health and fitness information.
Localized coaching is also offered through CSF2 Training Centers and mobile training teams. This brings Soldiers together – separate from their units – for peer learning and instruction. Guard members at every level, from every walk of life may weigh in.
Training options for Soldiers and/or their spouses include:
- Resiliency training classes through a Master Resilience Trainer (MRT)
- Performance enhancement through their unit
- Resiliency training through the Army’s education system
As an integral part of the Army’s Ready and Resilient (R2) campaign, CSF2 promotes physical and psychological fitness, and encourages personal and professional growth. Its tenets support the R2 vision of building and sustaining a culture of trust, and developing personal and unit readiness to meet demanding current and emerging Army requirements. The prevailing philosophy is that a resilient Soldier performs better. This, in turn, results in improved unit readiness and a better quality of life for the Soldier and their Family. As a result, the Army’s Total Force and American society at large benefit greatly from more resilient Army units.
For more information about CFS2 contact the Family Services department at your nearest military installation, or go to ArmyFit.Army.mil/Protected and log in.
Duty Stations and Installations with CSF2 Training Centers
- Fort Benning, Ga.
- Fort Bliss, Texas
- Fort Bragg, N.C.
- Fort Campbell, Ky.
- Fort Carson, Colo.
- Fort Drum, N.Y.
- Fort Gordon, Ga.
- Fort Hood, Texas
- Fort Jackson, S.C.
- Fort Knox, Ky.
- Fort Riley, Kan.
- Fort Sam Houston, Texas
- Fort Shafter, Hawaii/ Schofield Barracks
- Fort Stewart, Ga.
- Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
- Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va.
- Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region, Washington, D.C.
By Staff Writer Ruth Ann Replogle
