‘Workout to Remember’ event at Camp Zama pays tribute to 9/11 through fitness, resilience

CAMP ZAMA, Japan – The inaugural “Workout to Remember” event held here Wednesday was meant to honor the victims of 9/11 while encouraging fitness and resilience among the participants, the event organizer said.

The Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation conceived the event as a way to meaningfully memorialize the attacks and inspire a sense of camaraderie and participation in the community, said Stefan Thompson, MWR’s chief of fitness, athletics and aquatics.

“Today’s event is all about remembering the people who lost their lives and [to realize] how fortunate we are to be able to live life to its fullest every day,” he said.

Hundreds of Soldiers, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members and community members were at Yano Field on the morning of the 23rd anniversary of the attacks. After the morning reveille, the participants broke into groups largely by unit and began the workout.

The event was thematically tied to 9/11 with the participants completing 11 reps each at nine physical fitness stations: deadlift, kettlebell swing, push-ups, sit-ups, squats, jump rope, medicine ball throw, burpees and warrior pose. Each station lasted 5 minutes before the groups rotated, and they were encouraged to go beyond the 11 reps and work out for the entire duration.

After the workout cycle, the group ran together to complete two laps around the Yano Field track, or approximately 2,001 steps—a further connection to the year the 9/11 attacks occurred.

“We had a really good concept,” Thompson said. “The event went extremely well, and we received very positive feedback from the top leadership on all sides.”

Most importantly, though, Thompson said, the event served as a powerful reminder of the tragic events of 9/11 while also being a testament to the resilience and unity of the Camp Zama community.

Col. Marcus Hunter, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Japan, provided closing remarks and emphasized the significance of events like the Workout to Remember and the importance of never forgetting 9/11.

“This was a defining moment in our modern history,” Hunter said, “for everyone that was serving at the time, and for generations that have chosen to serve since.”

Hunter expressed his appreciation to the MWR team for providing the community the opportunity to build camaraderie among the USAG Japan team, tenant units on Camp Zama, and the Army’s JGSDF partners.

“It means a lot for us to come together … to remember why today is so important, and why the unity of our team is so important,” he said.