Developing Total Force Fitness and Its Components to Achieve Optimal Military Performance in Iran

Background: Military personnel is the most valuable asset of the armed forces to carry out missions. The Iranian Armed Forces have not provided a comprehensive definition of Total Force Fitness (TFF), and the present study will be a pioneer in this regard. Aim: The aim of this study was to provide a TFF model, and its components to achieve optimal military performance in Iran. Methods: The present study is an analytical study that was conducted cross-sectionally at Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran from 2020-to 2021. Thirty-nine specialists related to TFF in 10 domains including medical fitness, physical fitness, nutritional fitness, environmental fitness, psychological fitness, spiritual fitness, behavioral fitness, social fitness, occupational fitness, and family fitness were consulted to develop the questionnaire for TFF. Findings: In this study, for each panel, a specific questionnaire was developed by consulting the experts in order to design a TFF measurement pattern, among fitnesses, occupational fitness was eliminated by experts and the rest of the fitness including Physical, Nutrition, Medical, Psychological, Spiritual, environmental, social, family and Behavioral Fitness was confirmed. TOPSIS method showed that the first priority is spiritual fitness and then physical fitness, and family fitness and nutritional fitness were the last priority. Conclusion: In the present study, as one of the first comprehensive studies in Iran, components of TFF were identified and confirmed. The finding showed that spiritual fitness is most important for the Iranian armed force. Given that manpower is the most valuable resource and that every effort should be made to maximize its potential, further studies are needed.