The Air Force has distributed wearable smart devices to more than 1,000 first sergeants in an attempt to help some of the most overworked and stressed enlisted members keep track of their health and wellness.
Chief Master Sgt. John Alsvig, the Air Force first sergeant special duty manager, told Military.com in an emailed statement that the First Sergeant Academy early this year began passing out both a smartwatch and a smart ring to each graduate in hopes they’d use them to monitor their vital statistics.
“Some of the metrics being measured include sleep quality, O2 [oxygen] readings and heart rate,” Alsvig said. “As we get ready to close out 2023, nearly all wearables have been issued — with more than 1,000 first sergeants using them.”
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First sergeants are responsible for overseeing the health and welfare of the enlisted ranks and conveying their morale, or any issues with it, to commanders.
The Air Force’s use of the smart devices comes as the Space Force continues its research into the equipment to possibly replace routine physical fitness tests. It also shows how far the military has come in accepting the technology since 2018, when the Pentagon warned that sensitive data was being broadcast to the public from some wearable devices.
In April, the Pentagon announced that the Defense Innovation Unit, a Defense…
