Health Update: DVIDS – News – Wellness and Readiness Align with Naval Hospital Bremerton 2026 Crews Into Shape – What Experts Say

As Naval Hospital Bremerton reaches the halfway point in the 2026 Crews Into Shape Challenge, 11 teams and nearly 100 active duty, civil service staff and supporting family members continue their commitment to building healthier habits through daily physical activity, nutrition tracking and team-based motivation.
The four‑week challenge, annually held in March, is part of a Navy-wide Health Promotion and Wellness initiative embraced across all military branches, encourages participants to log physical activity, increase fruit and vegetable intake and complete weekly group workouts. Last year, 10 teams participated. This year’s increase reflects growing enthusiasm for preventive health and operational readiness across the command.
“Having team support encourages participation and follow-through,” said Cmdr. Ann M. Hummel, director of Mental Health. “Scheduling time for healthy meals and exercise helps with improving and maintaining fitness. An active lifestyle—whether it’s biking to work, hiking local parks or learning to cook healthy meals—goes a long way in making wellness sustainable.”
Health Promotion and Wellness Center department head Trish Skinner said the program’s design is intentionally built around accountability and camaraderie.
“The most effective element is the use of teams, which fosters a peer‑supportive environment and encourages measurable, daily habits,” Skinner said. “Daily tracking helps members focus on consistent behaviors like eating two cups of fruit and three cups of vegetables a day. The competitive format motivates crews to prioritize overall health, not just weight-loss.”
Skinner added that the challenge has helped shift the command’s culture from simply meeting physical fitness assessment requirements to embracing a more proactive approach to health. “For those who have participated over the past few years, this signals that wellness is a command priority, fostering trust and improving morale.”
Team members are responsible for statistically tracking their own commitment with daily nutritional needs of a minimum of two cups of fruit and three cups of vegetables. The exercise goal for each week is to get at least 150 minutes of physical activity.
Daily points are awarded for each category. Extra points are achieved if a crew member achieves their goal at completion as well as having each team organize a weekly crew activity to bolster camaraderie and collective commitment.
Crew members were also asked before the start of the event to report their weight loss, gain or maintenance goal.
As week one concludes, teams are already logging progress. A leaderboard posted next to the Terrace Dining Facility displays weekly scores, allowing staff to follow the competition and cheer on their favorite teams.

2026 Crews Into Shape Teams

• Mental Health Team 1 — Affirmation Athletes
• Health Promotion— Cirque Du Sore Legs
• Everett Specialty Clinic — Clinically Crushing It
• Radiology — Flex‑Ray
• Family Medicine — Green Beans
• Industrial Hygiene — InHalation
• Main OR Team 1 — Lettuce Operate
• Mental Health Team 2 — Mind and Muscle
• Bangor Dental — Plaque OPS
• Board of Directors — runCMC
• Main OR Team 2 — Sterile and Feral

For those not participating on a team, command members are being openly encouraged by Health Promotion to support the challenge by voting for who they think has the most creative team name. The team with the most votes will earn bragging rights for 2026.
“Crews Into Shape week one and week two have passed,” Skinner said. “Teams are continuing to log their daily physical activity and fruit and veggie intake. We look forward to seeing everyone’s weekly progression.”
The challenge runs throughout March, reinforcing the Navy’s commitment to readiness, resilience and a culture of health.