Revamped Navy Fitness Centers Boost Quality of Life for Military and Civilians

By the end of September, four Navy fitness centers on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) will be open 24/7. The gyms were upgraded with $600,000 worth of new fitness equipment in May.

JBPHH Fitness Center celebrated its new 24/7 status with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Two other gyms, Pier Side Fitness Center and Wahiawa Annex Fitness Center, will follow suit by September 30. Hickam Fitness Center, already offering all-day access since 2017, will upgrade its computer systems and extend access to showers and the basketball court.

“I am thrilled that we’re able to provide 24/7 gym access to the service members on the joint base. We will continue to do everything we can to improve the quality of life on the base,” said Capt. Samuel White, JBPHH commander.

Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) authorized this initiative in a March 8 memorandum. “If we require our Sailors to be physically fit and healthy so they can fulfill the Navy mission and deploy at a moment’s notice, then we must provide the facilities and resources for them to do so,” said Vice Adm. Scott Gray, CNIC commander. “Not only does this make sense, it is the right thing to do for the quality of life of our Sailors and other service members.”

Service members who work varying hours often struggled to access gym facilities during normal business hours. “Maximizing access to fitness facilities makes it more convenient for our Sailors,” Gray added. “We all know that exercise benefits one’s physical health, but it also reinforces mental, emotional, and social health, which are important for our Sailors’ overall wellbeing.”

In conjunction with the 24/7 access, the fitness centers received new gym equipment, including treadmills, elliptical machines, strength training machines, and squat racks. This marks a departure from previous policies that restricted free weight use in 24/7 gyms.

Department of Defense regulations require Navy fitness centers to update at least 20% of their equipment annually. Melissa Darling, the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) director for JBPHH, said the removed equipment will be reallocated to five unmanned Navy gyms: Family Fitness Center, Ford Island Fitness Center, Makalapa Fitness Center, and West Loch Fitness Center.

Gaining 24/7 access requires registration for authorized users 18 years and older. The process involves filling out a form and updating access privileges through a common access card (CAC).

“Ultimately, the fitness program is essential to mission readiness and contributes directly to our MWR mission,” Darling stated. “This is hopefully going to have a positive effect on the quality of life for our military service members.”