PHOTO: RYAN MELANSON
WO Hastey caps off a career-long commitment to fitness
By Trident Staff
“They joke, ‘Oh you’re 65 years old!’ I say, yeah, but you guys have to keep up with me,” says Warrant Officer (WO) Jim Hastey.
For WO Hastey, keeping pace with colleagues less than half his age was the result of a commitment to physical fitness that spanned decades. When he retired on October 8, just one day before his 66th birthday, he left behind an impressive record in the Canadian Armed Forces Physical Fitness Awards of Aerobic Excellence program, along with an example of the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle throughout an astounding 47-year military career.
The Personnel Support Programs (PSP) program gives CAF members a way to track their aerobic activity, set long-term fitness goals and earn recognition for their efforts. Participants record the time or distance spent on eligible exercises, with activities including running, walking, cycling, rowing and swimming.
WO Hastey began participating in the program while serving in Germany in 1989. Since then, he has tracked his aerobic activity through postings and appointments, making regular exercise a lasting part of his routine.
Each activity earns units according to the program’s criteria. For example, running one kilometre earns one unit. Participants receive a seal for every 2,000 units of aerobic activity completed. After earning six seals, they complete a scroll and begin working toward the next level.
At retirement, WO Hastey completed the second seal of his sixth scroll, amounting to 74,000 points of physical activity. That achievement is equivalent to travelling the distance of approximately 1,750 marathons.
Although running accounted for much of his activity earlier in his career, WO Hastey eventually incorporated more variety into his workouts.
“I try to work out at least four or five times a week… biking, walking, a little bit of swimming, a little bit of boating; stuff like that,” he said.
That consistency helped him maintain his fitness into his 60s and continue training alongside younge Army Reservists at 36 Service Battalion. He also encouraged colleagues to prioritize their own physical activity, using his experience in the program to give them incentives to push themselves.
Regular aerobic exercise can also help members prepare for the running components of the annual Fitness for Operational Requirements of Canadian Armed Forces Employment (FORCE) evaluation, including the 20-Metre Rushes and Intermittent Loaded Shuttles.
“I’ve never failed a fitness test,” WO Hastey added.
His decades of commitment to fitness were recognized during a Depart with Dignity ceremony at Windsor Park on October 8. WO Hastey received a certificate acknowledging his significant contribution to the PSP program, among several presentations made by current and former colleagues.
“This recognizes not only Jim’s dedication to physical fitness, but also the example he has set for generations of soldiers,” said Master Warrant Officer Victoria Robbins, the current Company Sergeant Major of 36 Service Battalion (a position held not long ago by WO Hastey), who emceed the ceremony.
In his remarks, WO Hastey focused on the colleagues he had worked alongside throughout his career and how proud he was to see them progress. He advised them to take initiative, maintain fitness and eat a balanced diet as keys to success in the CAF.
“I’m ready to walk away because I know people are going to step up to the plate and have it all covered.”
