Original Date: 04/07/1997
Revision Date: 04/14/2003

Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) has implemented an in-depth health and fitness program for its employees to maintain healthy bodies. Over the past nine years, this program expanded from a small facility with limited services to the reuse of an excess larger base facility with indoor running track, aerobic/martial arts room, batting/golf cages, basketball courts, and body conditioning/building equipment. An introduction to fitness at this facility leads off with a personal health appraisal via an interesting piece of diagnostic equipment marketed by Microfit costing approximately $14,000. In less than an hour, this equipment identifies overall health of the employee, and assists the trainers in creating targeted exercise programs for the customer. Retesting every three months provides health improvement information and helps achieve the fitness center’s number one priority safe and great health service.

The Microfit equipment was extremely helpful in a fitness center pilot test program running from April to October 1997 when IOC personnel were encouraged to dedicate up to three hours per week to working out at the center. Although the three hours away from the office seemed inconvenient at first, this pilot test program was designed to analyze the health benefits of exercise and how good health affects the number of lost work days due to sickness.

In addition to the normal fitness support and training at the center, RIA employees are offered blood profile testing annually. The blood profile program has been so well received by employees that a three-month waiting list is standard. The fitness center is open 16 hours a day, seven days a week to accommodate the family life of all employees.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.