BX Fits Feet for the Long Haul Published April 19, 2010 By Army & Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs Army & Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Airmen are expected to run long distances as part of their regular workout routine. With this in mind, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service offers a wide selection of footwear to help military shoppers at the Edwards Main Exchange ensure they have shoes that properly fit their feet. AAFES' "Fit Your Foot" program explains how to choose a running shoe based on correct size and type of foot. The BX has the "Brannock Device" available to measure foot length and width to determine shoe size as well as brochures that explain how to take the 'wet test' to help customers understand what kind of foot type they have and what shoe shape to look for. The wet test is done by simply wetting the bottom of a person's foot in water, then stand on a flat surface that will show an imprint such as a brown paper bag, a sheet of paper, or brown paper towel. The imprint will show the shape of the bottom of a person's foot. "In order to withstand the physical toll running has on the human foot, athletes need to ensure they have the best footwear possible," said the BX's General Manager, Russell Hinrichs. "AAFES is educating military shoppers on how to choose the best footwear possible to ensure they spend less time with blisters and aches and more time on the track and treadmill." Select shoes in the "Fit Your Foot" program are color-coded for easy recognition of the three main types of footwear: stability for normal feet, motion control for those with flat feet and cushioned for those with high arches. "Fit Your Foot" evolved from the "Fit the Foot" program which began in 1999 at Fort Jackson, S.C. The program was created in conjunction with the Army to help decrease the number of injuries among recruits.