“I'm going to fail height-weight on purpose and get booted” – how would you handle this?

I would tell my troop that it was both lazy and disgraceful to opt out of the service in this manner. His comrades deserved that he prepare himself and put in the work as they do for him. Then I would dismiss him and say nothing more, letting him ponder over what I might do. In reality, I would do nothing more than observe him. If he turned to and stepped up his PT, I would make sure he knew I was happy with him. If not, the evaluation system would weed him out, just as it should.

I have this situation come before me as a 1st SGT, soldier should be counseled and let them know the ramifications of his actions and that it will follow him/her through out their future, and assist them with which ever rout they decide to take

I would give him what he wanted, out of the Army under the least desirable administrative chapter possible. Since he's willfully opting to disregard his contractual obligations, I would seek to eliminate any possibility of military benefits.

I would call that malingering...and that is a crime in the military. Any soldier who decides they are going to fail their way out of the army should be severely punished and in a way that leaves no doubt what they were punished for.

To my of thinking that is just plain wrong, but then Again, I was a Coastie. I know that after I did a tour in Vietnam, I decided I had had enough and would just just tough it out until my time was up and not reup. Letting yourself go to get out is just plain wrong. Back in my day, I don't think the PT standards were as they are today. There were a lot of E-7's that looked like their PT was done at the CPO club lifting glasses. I think there is a chargable thing in letting yourself go and getting overweight and out of shape intentionally. I also know that with all the Deployments into a CZ it can take a toll, and then add to the involuntary extensions of enlistment, just adds to the problem. I am a little surprised that the retention rate is what it is. Guess they saw it as a last option. Not good. Incidently, two weeks after I got out, I was back in the Army Recruiting office talking to them ( had two Uncles that retired Army ). That was as far as I got as Vietnam was still nice and hot.

If he could not be turned around , boot him but I would try to to get to the root of his issues first

When I was stationed in Hawaii with MAG 15 I was an E-6 Staff Sargent I was S-3 Chief (training) one of my duties was to monitor the weight control program. I had a E-8 Gunnery Sargent who was at about 19 years in the Marine corps. He was on the weight control program and was assigned to remedial PT 2 times a day. Instead of losing he was gaining nd his body fa was increasing. He had been on the program several times over the years and I continually talked to him trying to get him to lose the weight. He would after finishing his second PT of the day would proceed to the SNCO club and start putting the beer away. He had been counseled by the Sargent Major the XO and the CO and he just kept gaining weight. He had about 6 months left before retirement and he had the attitude that nothing would happen before he retired if he didn't and he was will to ride along and run the clock out till he retired. The program doesn't work that way and at about 4 months before his retirement he was being processed for a administrative discharge for failure to comply with the weight control program. He then wanted to lose weight and comply with the program. It was then to late and he lost his retirement and everything. That was sad and I think that got to me more than anything I had to do while I was in. The programs are established for a reason . In the case of this individual there should be some kind of consequence before he is discharged. He can be charge with failure to comply with the weight control program and there is other forms of punishment that can be applied. If he had re-enlisted and got a bonus he can be forced to pay it back. There has to be a consequence or others will follow his example. I know back in the day the easies way for and individual to get out early was to claim they were gay, and that loop hole has been closed. The weight control program though is a hard program to get booted out because all the I's have to be dotted and the T's have to be crossed and the orders are explicit on what has to be done. If it is not exactly right then you have to start the program over with them. I forget what the length of time they were allowed but seems like they had 90 day and they could get a couple extensions on that. In any case there have to be consequences before they are eventually discharged.

I would make sure that he got out and probly for mal instead of ht & wt .

I as a First Sergeant had people like that & all I did was give him an initial talk to see what was going on. Even talked with their wives, Plt Sgts. Squad leaders. When all that failed I began the paper work for General discharge, '... Fails to preform duties required by rank...', Under less than honorable Conditions ... Sometimes that would scare the living crap out of some people & their attitude would change. Then again sometimes it wouldn't. A lot of those guys had re-enlisted within the past year or so. That under less than Honorable they would lose many of their benefits also...
I would inform them that their enlistment bonus would be with drawn, man o man their wives would come unglued... If that didn't do it , continue the discharge paper work. If you don't want to be there the command doesn't need the headache who is /can effect the morale of an entire unit...

I would try to find out the reason, but from how he was described, maybe he just couldn't handle the physical side of soldiering. I would try to help them get out, but until their last day they would have CQ 3 days/wk. It makes no sense to have a fully capable soldier sitting there wasting their time when I have this guy who can't/won't do anything right here.