Physical fitness is paramount in the military. You already know that — otherwise you wouldn’t be asking. It’s especially true for officers, who are expected to lead from the front and set a strong example.
Being an overweight — and presumably out-of-shape — cadet will be very difficult. There’s PT three times a week, plus a weekly lab that often entails physical aspects, plus ad hoc physical activities organized by the cadets themselves. DS’s own AROTC experience is that none of those is particularly difficult. To supplement, he runs and lifts weights 3-4 more times a week. But that shows you how important fitness is.
Awesome that you’ve lost 60+ pounds. That’s not easy. Make sure that you’re doing so in a sustainable way, addressing diet, exercise and sleep. Physical fitness must be a way of life. To paraphrase another SAF regular, getting fit now should not be a one-time act but the start of a lifetime practice. Doing so requires discipline and perseverance — two characteristics present in the best officers. Make it happen!
