New industry-led effort will provide recruits with no-cost fitness access and training support ahead of basic training.

Washington, DC–June 9, 2026–The Health & Fitness Association (HFA) today announced the launch of Service Ready, a national initiative designed to help improve military readiness by expanding access to pre-enlistment fitness support for future service members.

The initiative, formally unveiled during HFA’s 2026 Fly-In & Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC, mobilizes the fitness industry to provide verified military recruits with voluntary, no-cost access to participating fitness facilities and training support prior to shipping to basic training.

Developed in response to growing national concerns around youth fitness, obesity, and military preparedness, Service Ready aims to help recruits enter training stronger, healthier, and better prepared for the physical demands of military service.

According to data highlighted by HFA, only 41% of Americans ages 17–24 currently meet both the physical activity and weight standards required for military service, while obesity alone disqualifies more than 52,000 applicants annually. Musculoskeletal injuries also continue to create significant readiness and cost burdens across the Armed Forces.

Through the Service Ready initiative, participating HFA member companies may voluntarily provide:

• 8–12 weeks of no-cost fitness facility access for verified recruits
• Optional coaching and movement technique sessions led by certified fitness professionals
• Optional body composition assessments, where available

The initiative is designed to complement—not replace—existing military preparatory programs, including the Future Soldier Preparatory Course (FSPC), Future Soldier Training System (FSTS), Recruit Sustainment Program (RSP), and Navy Operational Fitness and Fueling System (NOFFS).

“America’s military readiness challenges are increasingly tied to broader declines in physical activity and health outcomes among young adults,” said Mike Goscinski, chief of staff at the Health & Fitness Association. “As the nation marks America’s 250th anniversary, Service Ready is an opportunity for the fitness industry to step up and support future service members before they arrive at basic training by leveraging the existing facilities, expertise, and community infrastructure already operating across the country. This initiative is about improving preparedness, reducing preventable injuries, and strengthening national resilience through greater access to physical activity.”

By leveraging existing community fitness infrastructure nationwide, HFA says the initiative offers a scalable way to improve preparedness, reduce injury risk, and expand access to structured physical activity prior to enlistment.

“It’s important to remember that a healthier nation is a stronger nation,” said Admiral Brian Christine, MD, assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services, who offered a luncheon keynote address at the Fly In. “We are stronger in our communities because healthy communities are more connected and more capable of weathering hardships together. We are stronger in our workforce because a nation burdened by preventable illness cannot fully prosper, innovate, or compete. And we are stronger in our military readiness because the defense of liberty ultimately depends on citizens who are physically, mentally, and morally prepared to answer the call of duty.”

The admiral also emphasized that nearly 80% of Americans ages 17 to 24 are ineligible for military service, largely due to obesity and chronic illness. He cautioned that only a fraction of military-aged Americans are physically, mentally, and medically prepared to serve, and argued that the strength of the nation has always depended on the health and readiness of its people. Ensuring future generations are prepared to answer the call of service, he said, is essential to safeguarding the freedoms secured by previous generations.

Additional details on participating fitness facilities and rollout plans will be announced in the coming months.

Health club and studio operators interested in participating in the program should complete this form to be included. HFA will send more details in the coming months.