NBK Sailors Get Health Conscious for Health Fair

(Photo: Damage Controlman 2nd Class Roger Levine lifts weights while Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Paul Odermann spots at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor Fitness Center. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Angela Grube)

SILVERDALE, WA -- Naval Base Kitsap (NBK), Bangor’s Fitness and Aquatic Center and Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB) in Silverdale, WA, sponsored a health fair and a fun run in October to promote healthier lifestyles to its gym patrons.

Sailors walking through the gym were greeted by representatives from NHB, who distributed pamphlets and spoke to them about the benefits of getting healthy.

“We’re giving information about how stress affects people, what should be done when going through depression, nutritional facts and we’re encouraging people to quit smoking,” says Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class David Palafox, NHB psychiatric technician. “We want the people here to live a healthier lifestyle because you can’t put a price on the value of good health.”

Palafox and Hospitalman recruit Josh Vest of NHB’s health education department set up displays along the center’s main passageway to catch the attention of patrons as they arrived for a workout or exited after exercising. The two showed patrons the various aspects of healthy eating and examples of the My Health Pyramid.

“The fair is not only giving techniques on becoming mentally fit, but physically fit, as well,” says Castor Guzman, center fitness coordinator. “We held a one-and-a-half mile run to get some of these sailors prepared for their upcoming physical fitness assessments (PFA). The run was also open to family members and retirees to participate for fun.”

The run, which began in the fitness center’s parking lot, took the participants through the base. It was not a competition, so runners could run at their own pace or run in groups.

“I’ve already participated in a mock PFA, and I am using this fun run as an opportunity to get more exercise,” says Construction Electrician 2nd Class Joey Decourval of Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 303. “I am an avid runner, and this was a good way for me to stretch my legs and have fun at the same time.”