Should army find a new way to fat test soldiers???

We don't say "fat", that's rude. It's "excess energy stored in potential form, carried externally".

This is just a theory for everyone, but hear it out briefly.  Why worry about the body fat measurements?  Why not just have strict enforcement of the PT standards?  Wait now. If the ultimate goal behind weight loss is fitness anyway, why would fitness not be the major emphasis.  I mean, what do I care if you are heavier than I am, if you blow the Fitness Test out of the water?  We need warriors that can haul someone from a blown apart Hummer, who can hump weapons, ammo and gear.  Additionally, not everyone is designed to be "thin", some of us are just big boned, some tall, some short, some big chested, and narrow waisted, some big waisted and narrow chested.  But...if you are big boned, you have got to be able to run.......I would rather work with a big guy who can gut out a PT test, than someone who can't pick up a ruck.

If you can show me a more accurate body fat measurement method that's as fast or faster than what we now use, I'd certainly give it a try.

Am I the only one that remembers the OLD pinch test???   At least the tape is more accurate that that was (and much less subjective).  I'm just glad I never had to worry about it then... of course there may be a slight problem if I were to ever be recalled to active duty! LOL!

I can't offer an alternative means of testing overweight Troops, but I have been hearing for years how outdated our BFP scale is.  Evidently, there are much more modern means of determining body fat percentages that make a lot more sense.

Absolutely. And they don't even need to "find" it, it's always been available. It's called using BF % calipers and a BF index chart. Takes 3 times to get an accurate percentage, exact same as the tape method. EXCEPT its your actual body fat percentage! And for people talking about time and costs, a pair is cheaper or equal to the price of the tape, and takes as much time to do. And it is accurate, as long as you follow the instructions (pinch 1 inch above the right hip bone ((using same place, less error)) pinch with calipers.) and ta da! You have an accurate body fat %. My issue with the tape method, is you have soldiers that OBVIOUSLY have "more to love and lots of it" that somehow pass tape. How? They have big necks. Not cool big Army, lets stop the madness and switch to the calipers. 

So what the I see hear is that its the fastest way to do it right, but yet how much of our day is spent sitting around all day? Last time I checked the senior leadership are the ones that are always crunched for time, the Master Fitness Trainer conducting the tests can easily be trained on the caliper method that is more accurate so I dont want to hear that there is such a lack of time to administer a more accurate test. Cost effective, how much is a caliper instrument? The Army has more wasteful spending than any other organization I have ever seen.  I think that the fact of the matter is that we just dont want to change it much like the current PT program, which is a bunch of BS and needs to change. We changed the PT program for the new generation of soldier that never went outside to play as a kid and was sheltered indoors glued to an XBox or PS3.

Yes, but as other have already said, the tape method is the fastest and least knowledgeable method but also grossly innaccurate. About a +/- 4% error.

I started in 2013 using a 9 point caliper system (and a trained person measuring) that is almost as good as a water test. The army bodyfat tape test got me at 24%, right on the edge for my age (41), (actually it's 26% I'm so used to <= 40...LOL) while the 9 point bodyfat test got me at 22.6%. This was July of 2013.

Passing an APFT is never an issue, I score around 263 - 275 most times. I've never failed a bodyfat test EVER. Today 2014 using the 9 point bodyfat test I'm at 17% BF and by May I should be at 15%. I have lost 1 inch on my waist.

The big problem is soldiers at all levels (SGT - LTC) don't properly council others on the problem and it isn't your physical training, IT'S YOUR DIET. Pt helps but diet is key and the Army is sadly lacking in diet training.

The tape test can also discourage because when losing weight the last part to go is your waist so you may do all this extra work and not see anything and that is discouraging.

The 9 point BF test can pick this up. You will lose in your arms, neck, face, legs before you lose one inch on your stomach.

Also using a scale is also discouraging because you may lose fat and gain muscle and think nothing happened. My first weight was 246.4 Lbs and at 22.6% bodyfat my bodyfat weight was  55.6 Lbs. Today I'm 245.2 with 17% bodyfat giving me a fat weight of 41.8 Lbs. That's a 13.8 Lb purely fat weight drop.

This is all about physical fitness and we all can do better. but I would say to go to a 9 point system and train all soldiers on how to measure properly. but also I am stressing diet as well and to train all officer and enlisted NCO's on diet.

Will it happen, probably not, we will stick with the tape test because it's easier. But I would recommend all soldiers to check with a 9 point caliper test and use those measurements to track progress.