America wants Rob Wilkins now greater than ever. It’s late 2023 and we’re nonetheless feeling the aftereffects of Covid-19. We’re deeply divided down political social gathering traces with a presidential election lower than a yr away that guarantees to be much more contentious than the earlier two. We’re hooked on digital gadgets and more and more searching for digital connection over precise human contact, which is destroying our psychological and emotional wellbeing. We’re nonetheless combating and dropping the battle in opposition to sedentarism and weight problems.
Our society’s issues vary from bodily to psychological to political, so any potential repair must be each productive and nonpartisan. How about health? We expect that’s an amazing place to start out, and the very best man to spearhead the hassle is Muscle & Health Senior Navy Editor MSgt. Rob Wilkins, USAF, Ret.
We’ve instructed Wilkins’ story earlier than: a distinguished member of america Air Power for 26 years; a navy liaison for the IFBB beginning in 1990, working intently with Ben and Joe Weider; a member of the esteemed President’s Council on Sports activities, Health, and Vitamin (PCSFN); editor of Muscle & Health’ well-liked Match to Serve sequence; and, in fact, a lifetime health club rat and advocate for the bodybuilding way of life.
That final bit of knowledge is essential. Wilkins’ profession begins and ends with health, which he believes can deliver individuals collectively and heal our our bodies, minds, and even political strife.
“I feel we’re fatigued from dangerous information from Ukraine to Israel to our border issues to nonetheless getting over Covid with the passing of relations and mates,” says Wilkins. “We have to do issues that unite us and produce us hope and inspiration once more. Perhaps we are able to use health to deliver again nonpartisanship, the place persons are for America versus simply ‘what’s good for me.’”
Deploying Health to Gen Z
At the start, the navy wants Rob Wilkins. Now an emeritus member of the PCSFN, he stays a chief liaison between the Council and the Armed Forces. He’s a connector, if you’ll, serving to the present administration by “bringing navy organizations and political leaders collectively to speak about how necessary health is to our nationwide safety,” he says.
America Navy has lengthy been one of many fittest teams of women and men on the planet, so Wilkins most important focus isn’t on these at present serving. He’s extra involved with future troopers.
“We’re on the worst recruiting we’ve been in since 1973,” he says, “and most of it’s due to bodily inactivity and weight problems. Solely 23% of the inhabitants is eligible to serve within the navy proper now — that means, 77% of youths between the ages of 17 and 24 can not serve [due to not meeting military standards for physical fitness]. If they will’t serve within the navy, greater than probably they will’t be law enforcement officials, firefighters or first responders both.”
This can be a big drawback for apparent causes. The important thing to fixing it, Wilkins believes, is elevating consciousness and educating younger individuals on the significance of bodily exercise. Ideally, this could assist produce a fitter crop of potential troopers, however health will assist youngsters in some other endeavor they pursue.
“No matter you’re doing, bodily exercise will make you higher at it,” says Wilkins, who’s been an avid health club goer since he was a child and maintains a daily health routine at the moment as he approaches 60. “Your grades will enhance, you’ll really feel higher, your stress ranges will go down. You’ll meet individuals and begin forming new communities on the health club and at college. In the event you’re a swimmer, you’ll turn out to be a greater swimmer. In the event you’re a skateboarder, you’ll be a greater skateboarder. There’s even analysis displaying that those that train are higher avid gamers as a result of they’ve extra stamina and higher blood circulation to their brains.”
On this context, recruiting is extra of a tender promote. The larger objective is to plant the seeds of dwelling a match, wholesome way of life for kids — notably these in underserved communities. “You attempt to discover these teams and work out what they want by asking them questions like, ‘Why don’t you train?’’” Wilkins says. “And the solutions fluctuate. It may very well be, ‘I reside within the interior metropolis and there aren’t parks or sidewalks to journey a motorcycle.’ Then you definately try to assist them provide you with issues to do. ‘Are you able to bounce rope, are you able to do push-ups, are you able to stroll stairs the place you reside? Wherever you reside, there’s most likely one thing you are able to do to make your self healthier.’”
Getting younger individuals by the plenty to train extra isn’t straightforward, in fact, however it’s a worthwhile endeavor. Luckily, Wilkins is properly linked and has assistance on the frontlines. Military Veteran, motivational speaker, and former White Home Govt Chef Andre Rush, for instance, chips in by talking to youngsters from troubled backgrounds. In one other occasion, a gaggle of veterans not too long ago hosted 3,500 youngsters in Washington, DC, educating them on the advantages of health and taking them by a sequence of workout routines and athletic drills.
“On the finish of the occasion, one child stated to me, ‘That is the very best day of my life,’” Wilkins says. “That brings tears to my eyes. That is an interior metropolis child that, as a result of we offered a secure area for him, he wasn’t nervous about being accosted or having his sneakers stolen. This was the very best day of his life, and all we did was throw a ball.”
Politically Right
Wilkins lives full time in Washington, DC, within the coronary heart of what cynics would name “the swamp,” however he’s remarkably unjaded and non-polarizing. Working example: He was first appointed to the PCSFN when President Trump was in workplace, then re-appointed beneath President Biden. In most political arenas, such bipartisan acceptance is unprecedented.
Neutrality is inherent to his mission. We’re not speaking about healthcare, border coverage, or tax codes right here. Health is a non-partisan subject, the place either side of the aisle agree on the urgency of combating the nationwide and world weight problems epidemic.
“I’m not right here to evangelise at anybody,” says Wilkins. “I don’t wish to speak about politics. Music, artwork, meals, sports activities, and health are the issues that it doesn’t matter what your political persuasion, you may have an amazing dialog with any person with out offending them or them offending you.”
When he was energetic within the Air Power, Wilkins served as a legislative liaison, touring around the globe with each Republicans and Democrats. On this function, he discovered that, “for essentially the most half, the 2 sides get alongside,” he says. “It’s the recent button points that get individuals’s consideration, however I’d say about 85% of the time they agree on issues.”
Bridging the political hole with well being and health was Wilkins’ goal earlier this yr when he invited 4 members of Congress — two Republicans and two Democrats — to hitch him in a neighborhood run/stroll in D.C. to debate a veteran’s initiative. The assembly was productive, with the 2 sides complementary to one another.
“Rob has a profound method of discovering those that go collectively,” says Chef Rush, who’s recognized and labored with Wilkins in varied capacities for the previous 5 years. “It’s like a needle and thread. You could have a needle and you must discover the best thread that matches it, and everyone else tries to get a special kind of thread and make it match, however it doesn’t match. Rob’s the person who connects givers with givers, not givers with takers. You probably have givers and givers, you’ll by no means go improper. You’ll by no means go broke, by no means go hungry, and most significantly, you’ll by no means have to look at your again.”
Dan Solomon, president of the celebrated Olympia, provides, “Rob embodies every little thing all of us aspire to be. He’s dedicated to his household, his nation and health. And he cares deeply about bringing individuals collectively. I’ve watched intently as he’s impressed numerous youngsters and adults to faucet into the ability of bodily health.”
A Lifetime of Service
Every little thing Wilkins stands for each personally and professionally is summed up within the title of his M&F column: Match to Serve. The articles within the sequence usually spotlight present navy members to make serving within the Armed Forces look extra interesting, and Wilkins makes a compelling pitch, notably to younger athletes: “In the event you’re a soccer participant, a basketball participant, or a baseball participant, take into consideration becoming a member of the best staff of all — America’s staff, the navy,” he says.
As a recruiter, his message is agency however by no means pushy. “I’m not right here to let you know to hitch the navy, as a result of it’s not for everyone,” he says. “I’m simply attempting to offer you choices.”
“Rob is navy to the core,” says Chef Rush. “Folks ask the query, ‘What do you do after service?’ There isn’t any ‘after service.’ There’s simply service. Rob’s been serving for 30, 40-plus years and has by no means wavered. Each navy member ought to attempt to be on that very same stage, particularly after retiring. In a world of hidden agendas, Rob has no hidden agenda. He simply does his job diligently. It’s who he’s as an individual.”
No agenda, only a clear mission that will get him away from bed on a regular basis. “My objective is to assist propel the positivity of America,” Wilkins says. “No disrespect to different international locations, however that is the best place on earth. Let’s benefit from it as a result of there’s sufficient bringing us down. Let’s discover issues we are able to do to construct us up. Perhaps by sport and health we are able to come collectively and work out how we are able to all do higher.”