At 48 years old, he recorded a 182.5-kilogram squat, 140-kilogram bench press, 215-kilogram deadlift, 355-kilogram push-pull total and a 537.5-kilogram overall total, setting six Hawaii state records at the 2026 USA Powerlifting Hawaii State Championship on April 25.

He said his training prepares him for the physical demands of military service while promoting longevity.

“I do think it’s about exceeding the standards, but it’s also just about wanting to live with a high quality of life,” Moriarty said in a release. “And so that, if my number’s ever called and I have to go do some physical stuff, I’m not going to be in a bad spot.”

Moriarty wakes up at 3 a.m. three days a week to train before reporting for duty, and he encourages fellow service members to make fitness a priority.

“You just have to move, whatever flavor that is for you,” he said. “Sitting down all day long is not good.”

Moriarty said his fitness journey has also changed how he mentors fellow service members. While serving as an Air Force staff sergeant at Fort Eisenhower, he worked with another staff sergeant who had failed three physical fitness tests and was at risk of separation.

Moriarty said to him, “You need to go buy a digital scale and weigh out every single piece of food you eat until your PT test. We are not even going to run. You’re going to squat, bench, deadlift and overhead press with me.”

After eight weeks, Moriarty said the Airman lost about 26 pounds and passed the fitness test.

“I told him… no matter what I do in the rest of my career, I think this will be my proudest moment in the U.S. military,” said Moriarty.

Moriarty is scheduled to compete at the USA Powerlifting West Regionals in Las Vegas in September, where a victory would earn him a pro card and qualification for the 2027 Masters Nationals.

Exercise Balikatan, which wrapped up Friday, is the largest annual military exercise between the United States and the Philippines and is designed to improve combined readiness and maritime defense capabilities, while showcasing the countries’ commitment to a “free and open” Indo-Pacific.

The Joint Task Force Maritime Strike, or MARSTRIKE, is a two-day critical live-fire event of the Philippines exercise that took place on Wednesday and Thursday.

The drill brought together sensors, missile systems, aircraft and naval assets from the four countries to coordinate long-range fires against maritime targets.

“The MARSTRIKE demonstrated the strength of our combined and joint force by integrating sensors and shooters across multiple domains to achieve a shared tactical objective,” U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Thomas Savage, commanding general of the U.S. joint task force-forward, said in the release.

On the first day of the exercise, forces sank the decommissioned Philippine Navy vessel BRP Quezon with a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Type-88 surface-to-ship missile, while the U.S. Army used High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems to conduct strikes, the statement read.

“Deploying the Type-88 Surface-to-Ship Missile in this complex MARSTRIKE allowed us to validate our tactical integration with U.S. and Philippine forces,” JGSDF Lt. Col. Ishikawa Daisuke said in the announcement.

Philippine Air Force FA-50PH Fighting Eagles and A-29 Super Tucanos also sank the BRP Rajah Sulayman, another decommissioned Philippine Navy ship used as a target on the second day.

Supporting elements throughout the exercise included assets such as the U.S. Marine Corps’ Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System and Marine Air Defense Integrated System, along with fixed-wing aircraft from participating forces, unmanned aerial systems and the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Charlottetown.

“The successful execution of the Maritime Strike activity demonstrates the growing level of interoperability between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and our allies,” Philippine Marine Corps Col. Dennis Hernandez, spokesperson for Balikatan 2026, said in the release.

The competition, which ran from March 15-19, is an international event designed to test combat readiness among elite, specialized snipers from across the joint force and partner nations.

“This competition represents the pinnacle of the sniper craft,” Army Col. Simon Powelson said in a release. “These competitors are not just here by chance; they are the product of intense and specialized training within their respective units.”

Participants included teams from the Army’s Green Berets and Rangers, Naval Special Warfare Command, Marine Forces Special Operations Command and Coast Guard units, as well as special operations forces from multiple allied nations.

At the end of the week, the Army Special Operations Command team took first place, followed by the Army’s 3rd Special Forces Group team.

Throughout the event, two-person sniper teams engaged targets at distances of up to 1,200 meters, using a variety of weapons, including sniper rifles, carbines and pistols.

Competitors completed both day and night operations, navigating challenging conditions. Rain, wind and cold plagued the event while adding realism to the exercises.

“The weather played a significant role,” Timothy Gozelski, sniper course instructor, mentioned in the release. “Being in sync with your teammate is equal in importance to communication. To be successful, the two have to talk and be on the same page in everything they do.”

Richard Cuza, another course instructor, added that communication in the harsh conditions was “beyond important; it’s crucial.”

The competition, now in its 17th year, was hosted by the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.

Special Forces sniper course instructors and leadership constructed the challenges and acted as scorekeepers.