LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- At Laughlin, the Comprehensive Readiness for Aircrew Flying Training (CRAFT) team actively supports student and instructor pilots throughout every phase of Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT), ensuring they are physically and mentally prepared to meet the demands of military aviation.
The CRAFT program provides a multidisciplinary approach to human performance, directly embedded in the pilot training pipeline. The team includes certified strength and conditioning coaches, a performance dietitian and cognitive performance specialists who deliver integrated training designed to optimize pilot performance.
“With the presence of long seated times and the environment of G-forces placed on the body, it is paramount that these tactical athletes have superior mobility, flexibility and strength,” said Jill Yocom, CRAFT Strength & Conditioning Coach. “Through participation with CRAFT sessions, pilots are able to increase their resiliency with tolerance to the sortie and report having less back and neck pain during and after their mission.”
The CRAFT team engages students from day one of academics with classroom instruction, fitness assessments and one-on-one consultations. They offer group workouts, customized nutrition plans, and mental performance coaching. These all contributing to CRAFT’s three-pronged approach: education, performance improvement, and injury prevention.
“Our team has various backgrounds in how our domain contributes to peak performance,” said Brian Mulvihill, Cognitive Performance Specialist and CRAFT Contractor Site Lead. “We want to build physical and cardio fitness to handle the Gs and sortie load of UPT. We want to help students prepare for and know what to expect to pass the centrifuge on the first try. We want them fueling and hydrating properly for better decision making in the jet and less air sickness. Identifying what types of thoughts/focus leads to their optimal performance and how can we replicate that on a consistent basis.”
CRAFT instructors deliver education that extends beyond the flight line.
“We’re here to educate first and foremost,” said Mulvihill. “If they leave here knowing how to plan their workouts, fuel properly, build recovery routines and maintain focus under pressure, we’ve done our job.”
CRAFT instructors teach pilots how to:
“We want to leave these Airmen with the knowledge, resources and skillset to be able to apply what they learn here at UPT,” said Mulvihill. “If they can get to their next airframe, their next mission or even after they are done flying, and still be able to carry these with them, then we have done a great job.”
The CRAFT team tracks measurable improvements through data collection and feedback. Students who engage with the program early often show improved performance and readiness. One pilot, after following a centrifuge-specific regimen, gained 28 pounds, 12 of which were muscle mass, and passed the centrifuge test, continuing on the path to become a fighter pilot.
The team also prioritizes injury prevention to combat chronic issues faced across the Air Force flying community.
“A big part of the Pilot Shortage is dealing with is keeping their pilots healthy enough to fly for a long time,” said Mulvihill. “A common issue they see is chronic neck and back injuries. By focusing on strengthening these areas starting at UPT and reinforcing it in their training with CRAFT at the Flying Training Units, we aim to set these pilots up with a good foundation to handle all those hours in the jet.”
Despite these efforts, student pilots face several challenges along the way.
“There are varied timeline constraints with present challenges at different phases of the pipeline,” said Yocom. “As a student pilot enters UPT there are inherently less hours to prioritize their strength and conditioning as well as nutrition. It has shown improved utilization with earlier immersion. Along with superior periodization of workouts, recovery is paramount.”
CRAFT facilities provide tools that support pilot recovery and reduce injury risk to support recovery requirements. The team equips its space with zero-gravity chairs, compression boots, massage guns, InBody body composition machines, Muse headbands, and hydration tools like DripDrop. They emphasize intentional recovery as a core strategy for sustaining long-term readiness.
Locally, the program has helped students meet ejection seat weight requirements, recover from physical setbacks, and navigate stressful performance milestones. The team stays certified and evidence-informed, while actively embedding themselves in the flying culture through briefings, simulator sessions and coordination with instructor pilots.
The team plans to move from the Losano Fitness Center to Building 320 this summer. By reducing the physical distance between fitness and flying operations, the team aims to boost daily participation and strengthen its ties with the squadrons.
Starting this month, CRAFT will lead base-wide competition-based Hero Workouts that are open to all wing personnel. This month’s workout will honor of A1C Raymond Losano, a Del Rio native and 14th Air Support Operations Squadron member who died in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Held on April 25 at the football field track and outdoor TRX box, this event challenges participants to complete 14 rounds of clean and press, burpee pullups and a 400-meter run. Times and scores will be tracked, and top-performing individuals and squadrons will be recognized.