Wow - how many tangents?!
SACSmith started with 'I think that the RAF should make all personnel take part in fitness training' - let's look at the broader issue than the narrow 'I can drink beer, smoke tabs and still pull 6G' nonsense!
Diet and fitness are inextricably linked to education and lifestyle. There are not that many obese aircrew - there are none on my station. There are a lot of medically obese and LAZY young airmen. At my last fitness test, we were barely beyond the fast walk stage when 2 of the youngest (and overweight) lads just gave up. I was not so much shocked at their lack of fitness at their lack of determination - they had not even broken out in a sweat or started puffing. They just did not like it and stopped.
MajorMadMax hits the nail on the head - we are a TEAM. One person's problem will invariably impact on us all. We are a fighting force liable to be deployed to any number of inhospitable situations and be expected to function efficiently. The 'I can do my job' blah may be true when that entails waddling in from the married patch for 8 hours of sitting behind a desk but will it hold water under more stressful circumstances? Can Cpl Fats remain alert after long days in a hot/cold working environment? Will Sgt Lard be able to drag his colleagues out of a burning building after a car bomb attack? These are very real scenarios that we are now routinely exposed to. I want to be able to rely upon those around me.
Blacksheep - you have a screw loose. We do NOT need to be able to 'Dig and Shoot'!? We DO need to be able to perform basic military tasks (fire-fighting, first-aid, on-scene commander, etc) under more demanding circumstances than peacetime normal.
I agree with SACSmith - fitness is fundamental to a professional military force and the opportunity to train should be provided in core working hours.
Beam me up.