Should someone be denied a retirement award, after 20 years of service and 4 deployments, because they're flagged for being overweight?

to be honest, the tape test is absolutely worthless for body composition. there's an e5 in my battery that tapes at -2% body fat. I still can't figure out how someone can have anti-body fat. and if your posture is bad, you magically get fatter, and the numbers don't adjust for total body weight

I believe that this is very unfair to the Soldiers. They are not being rated on their: loyalty, fidelity, honor, years of service, and bravery, but on their weight.
Did anyone ever stop to think that these men and women might have emotional/mental issues; after their repeated deployments? and after possibly sacrificing their very lives; for their country ...and thus the overeating?

I would say if being overweight is the only issue then go ahead and do the award for this soldier.

If you have done 20 years been deployed and for the most part a good soldier who cares if you have a few extra pounds as long as you get the job done!

They give you plenty of time to try and get into shape and get the weight off....if the soldier didn't take the time to try and do something about it, it's on that soldier and no one else.

This being said...I think the way the weight thing is figured out is BOLOGNA....my second year in....I got sent to my commanders office for my weight...I wore a size 3...yep, that's right...a 3...which is really very tiny....yet, I was muscular and have always weighed way more than I look.....I have the German side of my families big butt and thighs.......5'5 and 137 lbs and I was told I was pushing the limit. My commander laughed his ass off and told me to get the hell out of his office and that he would take care of it....... It's ridiculous.

BUT! On the serious note....if you are over weight....bulging belly and obviously over weight...then you should do something about it. If you ignore it and don't do anything, then too bad.

My boss when I first got to Wilford Hall was painfully over weight...by 100 lbs. He was written up...three times....and for over a year, he didn't even try to do anything about it....and he was kicked out...in his 19th year of service. It was his fault and no one else's. He had plenty of opportunity to try and loose the weight and he made no effort and didn't drop a pound. He had the attitude of ....I only have less than two years to go so who cares. Well the Air Force cared and they didn't let him get away with it. He had no excuses....he ate like a pig.

Have you tried enlisting RA?

I think the height and weight requirements are outdated. With that said, don't worry about your award start planning for the next chapter of your life.

I was deployed for a year into a combat zone with 9 months left before retirement by the time I returned. I was still obligated to do my PFT within that time, and I continued to give the Air Force everything I could before I went on terminal leave. Staying within standards matters and it is important. If you fail to meet this requirement prior to retirement, you have no one to blame but yourself. As another poster stated, you have an honorable career to take to your next employer who could care less whether you met those standards on the eve of retirement. However, how would you deal with your own decision not to met your obligations all the way until the end of your service?

You have situation awareness, 20 Yrs and 4 Deployments, that makes you an outstanding Soldier in my book, you do now appreciate where you're at and more than ever take care of that flag. I am not going to read you the book because you know it, nothing comes easy, remember the bottom line, get a partner, battle buddy or a friend but got to get this flag removed, focus on the task, it can be done, how bad you want this retirement?

My thoughts? Standards are standards. 20 years of service doesn't trump standards, and neither do 4 deployments. If a soldier gets flagged for not meeting height and weight then they have no one to blame but themselves.