The Coast Guard is recognizing its first members to earn perfect scores on the new physical fitness test (PFT). Bravo Zulu to CDR James Reily, MST1 Joshua Monty, MK2 Derek Furtado, and MSTCM Gordon Bellinger for their outstanding achievement!
Late last year, the Coast Guard announced that members would need to pass mandatory PFTs starting in July 2026. To support members and boost their strength and readiness, the Service launched the Physical Readiness Program (PRP).
MyCG spoke with these four members to learn more about their approaches to fitness.
For CDR James Reily, who leads the training team in Coast Guard Headquarters’ Human Systems Integration Division (WMR-3), two simple mantras help him stay in shape. “I try and make [the physical activity] something I want to do, something that’s fun. And if I can’t do that, I make sure I’m doing it with other people [to have some] social pressure.” As he prepared for the PFT, Reily knew he’d been struggling with the plank. So, he convinced his wife to plank with him every night for two weeks leading up to the test.
Above all else, the key for Reily is to make exercise fun by viewing it as an opportunity for social gatherings with friends. He particularly enjoys rock climbing with friends from local veteran and church groups.
MST1 Joshua Monty has a similarly simple approach to fitness. Exercise has always been a part of his life; before joining the Coast Guard, Monty played professional soccer in the Virgin Islands and even earned six caps for the National Team.
He’s left soccer in his rearview and doesn’t “do any kind of crazy training” these days. It’s “really just trying to keep up with my kiddos,” he says, along with basic interval work and calisthenics, that “keeps me in shape.”
MK2 Derek Furtado, a reservist at Port Security Unit (PSU) 301, also likes to keep things simple. By day, he’s a marine engineer for the Boston Fire Department. He focuses on getting some sort of activity in every single day, whether it’s rowing during winter months, running in warmer weather, or a combination of strength exercises and cardio.
Taking the PFT helped Furtado maintain his fitness, which is key to his day job. And, he adds, time in the gym has helped him forge “some of my best connections with peers.”
MSTCM Gordon Bellinger, Command Master Chief at Sector San Francisco, sees a regimented fitness routine as an opportunity to boost mental health and to lead by example. Because his days are often unpredictable, he savors the control he maintains over his daily workouts from 6:00 to 7:30 in the morning. Plus, “as master chiefs especially, we have a responsibility to represent,” he said. “We should be leading by example.” That’s why he trained for a perfect 300-point score on the youngest age standard rather than a 300 score for his age bracket.
Ultimately, Bellinger says, the benefits outside of the gym are so important for the workforce. Investing in physical health boosts mental health and can help with depression and anxiety, he explained. As Bellinger puts it, given the stressful nature of Coasties’ work, it’s important for the workforce to use physical fitness to boost resilience and provide an outlet for stress.
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