Photo By Richard Komurek | Religious Affairs Specialist, Sgt. Taylor Smith organizes a variety of events and...... read more read more
[Editor’s Note: In this series, we are shining a light on our workforce in and around the Benelux. This Spotlight is on Sgt. Taylor Smith, a Religious Affairs Specialist for the 39th Strategic Signal Battalion, who likes to share his love of weightlifting and physical fitness with other members of the Benelux community.]
CHIÈVRES, Belgium — During his daily duties as a Religious Affairs Specialist, Sgt. Taylor Smith organizes a variety of events and services that are designed to enhance the spiritual and moral well-being of his battalion’s soldiers and family members. But after the duty day is done, one can often find him at the Chièvres Air Base gym, continuing his engagement with members of the Benelux community through his passion for weightlifting and fitness.
For Smith, who arrived at the Benelux in November 2023, weightlifting wasn’t always a way of life. In 2020, he became overweight and found himself enrolled in the Army Body Composition Program (ABCP). After losing weight and getting off the ABCP, Smith set a New Year’s resolution to start going to the gym, and from there his dedication to weightlifting continued to grow into a passion for the gym and fitness.
“I think for me it was just a health thing, I love the gym,” said Smith. “It’s not only about going in there and getting big … even if it’s just making yourself more resilient to injury and being more flexible, there are so many different aspects. I love that the gym is a community for everyone.”
One aspect of Smith’s work as a Religious Affairs Specialist that influences his passion for weightlifting is his role of organizing events in support of the Chièvres /SHAPE community.
“Our main focus is morale and taking care of soldiers,” said Smith. “One of the ways we do that is by hosting events, whether it be a marriage retreat, a resiliency day or getting soldiers out of the office to do something.”
Smith’s expertise in hosting community events gave him the idea of using that experience to organize a first-ever Benelux International Powerlifting Competition. The competition, to be held at the Chièvres Air Base Fitness Center on Nov. 16, 2024, will include the categories of squat, bench press and deadlift. The event will be open to both U.S. ID cardholders and NATO ID cardholders, and Smith hopes to draw a wide range of competitors and experience levels, from new beginners to more advanced weightlifters.
“We want to try and make this an annual event for everyone, just to get people more involved,” said Smith. “You don’t have to come out and lift a thousand pounds, it’s just to make friends, be part of the community and grow a little bit.”
In addition to the camaraderie and friendships that come from being part of the weightlifting community, Smith feels that fitness is at the core of what it means to be a Soldier.
“The Army is all about being fit and being ready to fight,” said Smith. “So, whether you are weightlifting to get strong or doing Pilates to become more flexible, it’s about your teammates being able to look and think ‘they’re fit, I know if it comes down to it, I can count on them.”
This Spotlight series will continue to tell the stories of our workforce in and around the Benelux. We are the Army’s home - we are IMCOM.
| Date Taken: | 10.23.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.23.2024 10:29 |
| Story ID: | 483744 |
| Location: | CHIEVRES, HAINAUT (WAL), BE |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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