Considering Evolution, should the body fat standards be relaxed across the U.S. Military?

This is a touchy subject to me. When I was still serving the body fat % was a top priority. Even if you were able to max out your PT test if you didn't pass tape then there were consequences. In my situation I was over weight for my height, did well on every PT test, but my neck wasn't big enough. I think the process is dated and needs to be improved. Some people are built differently and may even work out on their off time. The extra weight you put on in muscle mass becomes problematic sometimes. The other issue I saw was the taping process itself. Often times I would see NCO's tape loosely which can give you an extra inch around the waist. Improper taping procedures can cause soldiers to be excluded from certain schools or from promotion. I don't know if the process is still the same but it does need to be improved. I do feel it is necessary being the military, across all branches, needs to be physically fit and not a bunch of fat bodies. It may be nice to eat that extra plate of food for dinner or whatever but carrying around extra weight doesn't look professional in a military uniform.

the only thing the Army should worry about is the APFT. If you can pass a FITNESS test, then why should body composition matter?

I was a BCP (Body Composition Program) NCO for several years in the USMC. If I learned one thing its that you can take one look at someone and know when they're just a naturally large person and when they're a lazy turd that takes one too many trips to the fridge. I met some really big guys that can still hack it with everyone else.

I also met dozens of Marines that were, we'll just say "at risk". Every single one of them did the exact same thing, spent all their time at the gym doing neck-based workouts and spending hours at a time in a sauna risking heat-exhaustion or worse. Also met plenty of people that had been assigned BCP right before a deployment, lost all the weight and then some out in the sandbox, only to come back and have to finish another mandatory 5 months of BCP. Also had to sit by as an NCO and watch as NCO and below got signed onto BCP while SNCO's and Officers would get each other out of it because the USMC has a messed up double-standard.

If they can do the job, there shouldn't be any question about how they look doing it.

They should be eliminated. If a person can do the job, as described, neither their physical appearance nor their physical make-up should be a factor.

No? How does a species evolve over the course of a few years? People and their poor decisions cause themselves to be overweight.

Here we go again. I battle the "Battle of the BMI" while serving. Get rid of it. The BMI scale is from the 70s. Look at evolution since then. Kids are taller and bigger then when I was in. If you can run, do sit-ups and push-ups then you'r good. Pass the test! I have seen gentle men who look like their 9 months pregnant out run and carry heavier loads better than skinny kids. I'm not saying having a force who eats at McDonald's everyday but standards! What ever happen to good sounding judgement. If a Commander or 1st Sgt thinks you'r big they sent you to FAT Boy camp. O wait would that be discrimination? Add some combat related testing. How about carrying a ruck or lifting something heavy? How about the float test or POD's? If you want BMI in a test use it as a resource and not part of the test. To many option for a different test are out there. Why doesn't leadership listen to the troops? Maybe this discussion would not come up every month.

The only reason I am at 22% body fat is because the Army says I can be up to 26%. If my max allowed was 20%, there is no doubt I'd be about 16% body fat. Why relax the standard when it's not evolution, but poor nutrition and exercise habits that are our downfalls.

Uh no... SFC (Join to see). They need to be tightened....

Sorry folks, but all of you are wrong. The current system works perfectly for what it was designed to do: it is a force reduction tool. When you are facing draw downs and have to reduce your active duty strength by 30 thousand troops, the fastest way to do that is to put as many impediments in place as possible to cut people. Consider this, the majority of people who have problems passing the BMI is us older folks. When I was in my 20's BMI was not a concern. After 30, my metabolism changed (evolution sucks) and I began to gain mass. Just like all of you, I spent a large part of the day in the gym or on the road and still had problems. Looking at my relatives, it was inevitable since all of us have the same issues with weight. I would be willing to bet that the standards would be changed quickly, if the military found itself short of bodies in the future. Of course, this is all just my humble opinion.

The way bodyfat is measured needs to be reevaluated however it should not be any easier. In fact I would say it should be tougher. I mean do you want somebody who has nearly a quarter of their body weight as body fat as a soldier? I don't I know that for sure. If you don't or can't adhere to the standard find another job.