It has been nearly a decade since the 1996 Surgeon General?s Report (SGR) on "Physical Activity and Health" (United States Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 1996). It is time that people stop and reflect on this historic report and begin the assessment process--are people paying now or will they continue to pay later? This monograph benefits from the expert writings of several authors sharing varied perspectives and addressing four overarching questions. What follows is a personal perspective that will use the overarching theme of physical activity and health to explore the impact of the 1996 SGR, the future role of physical education, the preparation of preservice physical educators, and the impact that selected occurrences have had on this issue. The author's personal perspective is optimistic in nature although substantive supporting data has not yet been collected. He remains hopeful that the impact of this landmark report will indeed provide physical education professionals with the documentation that will help them move forward as a profession.