Safety officer helps servicemembers get in shape

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Servicemembers from units across Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, are sweating at the Rock Fitness Center (located in Camp Cunningham) at noon each Monday and Wednesday. 

Who is the man responsible?  He’s Tallapoosa, Ga., native, Mr. Gary Ballew, a safety manager known affectionately by his unit as “Super fly the safety guy.” 

Ballew, Task Force Protector’s Safety Manager, teaches an abdominal workout class to servicemembers to help improve their physical fitness and motivate them to help lose weight.

“Welcome to Ab-ghanistan,” Ballew says to his students as he opens his class.

Ballew has been teaching the class for about two months and incorporates many different exercises into the half hour.  He ensures his students use proper form while exercising so they do not injure themselves and get the most out of the workout.

Throughout the workout, Ballew likes to interject humor with jokes like; “If your abs hurt we can call you an ab-bulance” and “How do you count your abs? With an ab-acus.” 

Air Force Capt. Melissa Holden of Task Force Medical said the most difficult part for her was the constant activity with little to no rest in-between sets of exercises. 

This was Holden’s first class and she plans to make it a part of her weekly routine on Mondays and Wednesdays.

“Just getting everybody into shape, that’s one of my hobbies,” says Ballew about his favorite part of the class.  “So if I can help somebody with something I like, that’s what I like to do.”