Are Senior NCOs Getting Taller?

2014-08-28T14:10:48-04:00

http://www.armytimes.com/article/20140827/NEWS/308270077/Promotion-board-Raters-fudging-facts-senior-NCOs

"A recent promotion board tasked with examining the files of first sergeants and master sergeants came upon a stunning realization: Not only were senior NCOs gaining weight to an alarming degree, they were miraculously getting taller."

The report on senior NCOs getting taller to cover weight gain in order to pass height/weight standards unfortunately does not really surprise me, although I do find it sort of funny. I wonder what the largest height gain was?

I've ranted about the uselessness of the tape test and screening weight chart before---why can't we just buy a couple hundred dunk tanks, do water displacement, and move past unscientific approaches to something that could lead to someone being separated from the military?

Also, on SMA Chandler's assertion that raters and senior raters are to blame for inaccurate height/weight on NCOERs: doesn't the NCOER say in Part IIe that the rated NCO's signature on the NCOER is verification that APFT and height/weight data are correct? While I take SMA Chandler's point that raters and senior raters have a supervisory responsibility here, the rated NCO has a responsibility to ensure data that the rated NCO's signature verifies is accurate.

Thoughts?

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 28 at 2014 2:12 PM

2014-08-28T14:12:00-04:00

Crooked cheaters. Bad bad bad no no no!!!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2014 4:00 PM

2014-08-28T16:00:45-04:00

They must be genetic freaks, myself as I get older I get shorter plus is harder to maintain my weight

Response by Sgt Packy Flickinger made Sep 13 at 2014 3:38 AM

2014-09-13T03:38:50-04:00

I think its an optical illusion from all the deficated material they are standing on delt down from the "O's". :)

Response by SSgt Gregory Guina made Sep 13 at 2014 3:58 AM

2014-09-13T03:58:38-04:00

Sir One thing they tell us in the Marine Corps is make sure there is not creep on your height. That is a sure way to get non-selected for promotion to the next rank.

Response by SSgt Gregory Guina made Sep 13 at 2014 12:32 PM

2014-09-13T12:32:17-04:00

I could understand if the soldiers being looked at were between the ages of 18 & 22 as it is still quite possible for a person to grow taller in this time frame. However after that you have pretty much grown as tall as you are going to get. I would say that evals that show someone getting taller as they get heavier are a lack of integrity. If you lie about how tall you are what else are you going to lie about?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 3 at 2015 5:21 AM

2015-02-03T05:21:41-05:00

Well I can tell you that for promotion boards you can put that you are 6'10" and 220 pounds but that DA Photo that you have to take is going to tell the real story. If you look fat in your photo...your fat...no height or weight number can change that. Pity the fool that doesn't know this as a Senior Enlisted/Officer..Time to take accountability and get back to within the standards for their actual height.

Response by SGT Steven Eugene Kuhn MBA made Feb 4 at 2015 2:03 AM

2015-02-04T02:03:03-05:00

I knew there were some weird chemicals in the Army food!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2015 4:34 PM

2015-03-02T16:34:13-05:00

It's amazing the amount of senior leaders you see promoted and it leaves you wondering how they were selected for promotion.