ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam — The 36th Medical Group’s Human Performance Team were hand-selected to develop the Air Force Defender Performance Optimization training guideIn May of 2020, the Air Force implemented the DPO program in order to increase readiness for deployable Airmen.
DPO is an injury prevention and exercise program designed by the Air Force specifically for Security Forces members,” said Tech Sgt. Amanda Algueseva, 36th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron NCO-in-charge of Health Promotion. “We have turned the DPO into an educational series of classes instructing the program’s contents in physical form in order to instruct proper form and correct any issues.
This class is structured to target running and mobility for security forces Airmen, the job of the Human Performance Flight was to take this new program and adapt it to the common injuries that occur here to our defenders.
“I think what we are doing with the series of classes is extremely important for injury prevention in our defender population,” said Staff Sgt. Kimberly Ashmore, a base defense operation center controller with the 36th Security Forces Squadron. “The Health Promotion team has taken a required Air Force program and adapted it to different areas where we see common injuries to create a well-rounded series of classes.”
The main focus of this Air Force wide mission is improving mobility and incorporating exercises into a routine before, during, and after shift.
“Personally speaking, the class has been extremely helpful in providing information that could potentially reduce injury,” said Ashmore. “Through this training I have realized different ways to adjust my training and running in order to keep myself and my Airmen in peak physical shape at all times.”
A continual movement of forces from Andersen gives a priority to members to stay ready for the fight. DPO will ensure deploying and deployed Airmen continue to serve in the best condition possible.
“The Air Force is listening, we have many young individuals with preventable injuries,” Algueseva said. “We are taking a general guideline created May 2020 and implementing it in a way that is applicable to daily routines. Physical Therapy is here to assist our entire base population to better educate them in injury prevention and proper/safe mechanics of exercise.”
By Senior Airman Amir R. Young, 36th Wing Public Affairs / Published March 03, 2021
