On Wed, 23 Apr 2008, The Master <tardis@nospam.sdf.lonestar.org.nospam>
wrote:
>On Wed, 23 Apr 2008, Badger wrote:
>
>>The army's standard is not BMI, dumbass. Can't you read?
>
>Read the story again, dumbass. =20
Lack of reading comprehension noted.
> The height and weight are first looked up
>on a chart. If the weight it too high, they measure various parts of the
>person's body to figure out BMI. =20
Now THAT is rich.
> If it's too high, they make them go
>through a fitness test. As such, there are recruits that are accepted on
>BMI alone. My question is how the people accepted on BMI alone would do
>on the fitness test. Can't YOU read?
Oh the irony.
For those just joining the discussion, here's the article that TM is
commenting on. =20
http://www.slate.com/id/2189692/?GT1=3D38001
Fat Soldiers
What's the Army's policy on overweight recruits?
By Jacob Leibenluft
Posted Tuesday, April 22, 2008, at 6:54 PM ET=20
In an effort to meet its recruitment targets, the Army has begun granting
more waivers to people who would otherwise be ineligible to serve=97includi=
ng
overweight recruits. What's the Army policy on fat people?
They're not particularly welcome. The Army's basic recruitment standard is
linked to a candidate's body-fat percentage, measured (PDF) by an equation
involving height and the circumferences of the abdomen, neck, and=97for
women=97hips. If they're 27 years old or younger, men must have a body-fat
percentage below 26 percent, while women must be below 32 percent.
Typically, however, recruits are first judged against a table that lists an=
appropriate weight for any given height. The upper limits on the Army's
weight table are slightly more lenient than the definition of "overweight"
provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: For example, a
21-year-old male recruit who is 5 foot 10 and weighs 190 pounds would be a
bit overweight under CDC guidelines but not above the Army's weight
maximum. (You can also be too skinny to be recruited=97the minimum body-mas=
s
index (PDF) is 19.) If candidates pass muster according to the table, they
don't need to go through a body-fat measurement.
Because of increasing obesity rates in the United States, the Army's
standards now disqualify a large percentage of the population. A study
conducted by Army researchers found that 27.1 percent of the 18-year-olds
who applied to join the military in 2006 were overweight=97up from 22.8
percent in 1993. Weight is by far the most common medical reason why
potential recruits are rejected from serving. And while prospective
enlistees can try to make weight before their official screening=97often wi=
th
the support of eager recruiters=97the pool of eligible young adults remains=
smaller than the Army would like.
As a result, the Army has tried to find ways to admit recruits who fall
outside the typical boundaries but are still likely to succeed in the
service. In particular, the Assessment of Recruit Motivation and
Strength=97known as ARMS=97has become a source of automatic waivers for
recruits with a body-fat percentage up to 30 percent for men and 36 percent=
for women. The ARMS process requires participants to complete a five-minute=
modified "Harvard step" test=97which involves stepping onto a low platform
120 times per minute. After that, applicants must do a certain number of
pushups in one minute=97at least 15 for men and four for women. Applicants
who qualify through the ARMS test get a free pass on being overweight, but
they do have to get themselves in shape within a year of entering active
duty. Early research suggests that recruits who get ARMS waivers have
attrition rates similar to enlistees who enter the Army without a waiver.
Once a recruit makes weight, he's expected to stay slim. At a minimum, Army=
personnel are required to take a physical-fitness test every six months,
which includes a weight screening. If a soldier is above the maximum
body-fat percentage (PDF) for his age, he must take part in a "weight
control" program that includes a workout regimen and nutritional
counseling. While under an "overweight flag," soldiers can't attend a
professional military school, be promoted, or even re-enlist.
And yes, you can eat yourself out of the Army: If you don't eventually make=
satisfactory progress after being placed in the weight-control program, a
commander can initiate "separation proceedings" leading to an eventual
discharge.
Re: What's the Army's policy on overweight recruits? 
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