The gym Kenny Jenkins uses resembles many in Colorado Springs.Curl bars and bench press apparatus constitute some of the roughly 50 pieces of weight-lifting equipment scattered throughout the facility. Mirrors line some of the walls to ensure each person practices proper form, while about 20 exercise machines take up any extra space.The difference comes in its location: A compound in Kabul, Afghanistan, surrounded by high walls and barbed wire.A Mitchell High School graduate, Jenkins has found his calling thousands of miles from home — a military base where the Colorado Springs native helps troops deal with a war zone deployment by shedding pounds and stress through exercise.“That just helps them to feel like they got a piece of home still,” Jenkins said. “We just provide a release for the soldiers here.”A contractor working in Afghanistan, Jenkins’ job is to provide entertainment for the thousands of troops stationed at his installation. Often, that includes organizing movie nights or hosting video game competitions (“Madden” and “Call of Duty” proved favorites this fall).His favorite activity, though, involves long hours in the gym, pumping iron and punishing the troops he trains. It’s a hobby built partly out of necessity.“They’re either working or they’re spending time in the gym,” Jenkins said. “There’s really not much else over here to do.”As personal trainer with a degree from Adams State University in exercise science, Jenkins leads by example — touting 20-inch biceps and preaching to troops that exercise can be healthy way to endure long deployments in a place few choose to be.He’s seen soldiers lose 30 to 50 pounds during a deployment, often by helping to watch what they eat.He also organizes workout classes, including P90X and Insanity. Zumba — a workout set to music that’s based largely on dance movements — has proven “insanely popular,” he said. This fall, he added yoga to the list of available classes.After working in Afghanistan, he plans to come back to Colorado Springs and possibly coach football.For now, he’s fine at his gym away from home.“It’s a different kind of feeling it gives you — a rewarding feeling,” Jenkins said.—Contact Jakob Rodgers: 476-1654Twitter @jakobrodgersFacebook Jakob Rodgers

Civilian contractor Kenny Jenkins helps troops deal with a war zone deployment by shedding pounds and stress through exercise. The Mitchell High School graduate has found his calling thousands of miles from home in Kabul, Afghanistan. Photo by Photos courtesy of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan public affairs