An Air Force captain has independently developed a mobile application designed to provide comprehensive, actionable guidance for service members aiming to improve or maintain their physical fitness across all branches of the U.S. military.
The application, named “Military Fitness Score,” is now available for free download on both iOS and Android platforms. It is engineered to adapt to the specific fitness requirements of any military service, offering users personalized action plans to achieve their fitness goals, construct initial training programs, and incrementally adjust them over time. The software tool also facilitates a thorough assessment of a user’s current fitness level.
Capt. Zachary Hicks, a family medicine physician and emergency medical services medical director stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan, is the creator behind the application. He emphasized the app’s broad utility, stating in a release from the 374th Airlift Wing, “If you are doing well and you want to do great, then this app will help you. If you are doing great and wish to maintain that greatness, then this app will help you retain your fitness.”
Captain Hicks dedicated seven years to self-teaching programming and app-building skills, driven by a personal setback. He recounted the genesis of the idea to Air & Space Forces Magazine, explaining, “I ended up failing a fitness test due to a lack of preparation. I thought I was doing OK but ended up far behind where I needed to be. In that moment, I found that resources to help me get back on track were scattered and not well organized to a truly actionable starting point.” This experience provided him with direct insight into the specific needs of individuals struggling with fitness and the structured support required for improvement.
The impetus to bring this vision to fruition intensified earlier this year when the Air Force introduced new fitness standards. Recognizing an opportune moment to contribute, Hicks stated, “I knew that now was the time to make this happen and help out my fellow military members that may need the same help I did four years ago.”
In developing his app, Captain Hicks conducted a review of existing fitness tools available to service members. This included the U.S. Navy’s official, government-developed score calculator, known as the Official Navy Physical Fitness Assessment, which was released in 2019. This official app has garnered a rating of 2.6 out of five stars on the Apple App Store, based on 180 ratings, indicating potential areas for improvement in user satisfaction or functionality.
The Air Force currently utilizes a “My Fitness” portal for tracking and calculating physical training scores, but it does not appear to offer an official mobile application specifically designed for comprehensive physical fitness assessment and guided training. Concurrently, the Space Force is piloting an innovative approach to fitness, moving away from annual assessments in favor of continuous health monitoring facilitated by wearable technology, an initiative termed the Holistic Health Approach. As of August 27, a spokesperson for the Air Force Personnel Center had not responded to a request for comment regarding the service’s official mobile fitness app strategy.
Hicks noted that the Navy’s app is tailored exclusively to that service’s physical readiness program. His analysis of other privately developed applications aimed at service members revealed common limitations. He explained, “The biggest issue was the basic fact that apps only support one or two branches and none of them unify all branches into a single app.” Furthermore, he identified a significant deficiency in the provision of actionable guidance. “Most are score calculators only, and one of the main purposes behind this app was to build a personalized training program for members so that they could have clear guidance on how to improve their fitness and score higher,” Hicks articulated.
To ensure accuracy and reliability, Captain Hicks meticulously transferred the scoring calculators for each military branch from their respective official scoring charts. He also integrated training information directly from official Department of Defense sources, such as the Air Force’s Warfighter Fitness Playbook. This approach, as he explained in the release, meant he “did not feel the need to reinvent the wheel, but simply made it more accessible.”
Addressing concerns about data privacy, a paramount consideration for many app users, Hicks confirmed that all user data within the Military Fitness Score app is stored exclusively on the individual’s device. For users who wish to share their progress, a dedicated tab allows information to be securely transmitted to a fitness manager, protected by either a face or fingerprint scan, depending on the device’s capabilities.
Recent updates to the application include comprehensive support for pregnancy and postpartum fitness requirements, offering tailored guidance on appropriate exercise levels during these specific conditions. Looking ahead, Captain Hicks revealed his plans for the app’s next major enhancement: “The next big addition I am now working on is a lifestyle section that gives guidance on the factors that affect fitness—nutrition, hydration, sleep, recovery, and supplements.”
It is important to note that the Military Fitness Score app is an independent creation by Captain Hicks and is not officially endorsed or produced by the U.S. Air Force or any other military branch. However, it remains freely available for download and use by any service member.
Why This Matters
The development of the “Military Fitness Score” app by Captain Zachary Hicks underscores several significant trends and challenges within the U.S. military and beyond. Firstly, it highlights the critical importance of physical readiness for all service members, directly impacting operational effectiveness, career progression, and overall well-being. By offering a unified, accessible, and personalized fitness tool, the app addresses a long-standing need for comprehensive guidance that transcends individual service-specific platforms, fostering a more cohesive approach to fitness across the Department of Defense.
Secondly, this initiative exemplifies the power of grassroots innovation within large organizations. A single individual, leveraging personal experience and self-taught technical skills, identified a gap in existing resources and developed a solution with broad applicability. This demonstrates that impactful technological advancements can emerge from within the ranks, driven by direct understanding of personnel needs, even when official solutions may be slow to materialize or lack certain features. It suggests a potential model for leveraging internal talent to address practical challenges.
Furthermore, the app’s focus on actionable guidance, rather than just score calculation, represents a crucial shift towards proactive health management. The inclusion of specialized support for pregnancy and postpartum fitness, as well as planned sections on nutrition, hydration, and sleep, reflects a growing recognition of holistic health as integral to military readiness. This comprehensive approach acknowledges that physical fitness is intertwined with broader lifestyle factors, a perspective increasingly vital for supporting the diverse needs of modern service members.
Finally, the project’s emphasis on data privacy, with all user data stored locally on the device, addresses a significant concern for individuals in an increasingly data-driven world. This design choice could set a precedent for future military-focused applications, demonstrating how personal effectiveness tools can be developed with user security and autonomy at their core. The “Military Fitness Score” app therefore not only offers a practical tool for service members but also serves as a case study in individual innovation, comprehensive wellness, and responsible technology development within a military context.