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What is your opinion about the Army's body composition study? Do you think we need a change? Do you think the height/weight examination should be completely eliminated?
Body composition study makes stop at Fort Lee
Posted from dvidshub.net
Height and Weight
Health
Standards
Fitness
Edited 3 y ago
Posted 3 y ago
Responses: 5
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Make it non-punitive if the SM can score over 70 in each event of the ACFT. Add it as a screening factor to identify priority groups for intervention with H2F personnel.
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MSG (Join to see)
I like the non-punitive perspective SFC (Join to see)! What you propose is a solid pathway to help Soldiers be the best version of themselves. Have you addressed your idea in townhalls or surveys?
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I would keep this requirement. Today, we are faced with those could serve is obese and struggle in meeting today's rigors of serving. Military members today that have be physically fit to fight and win on the battlefields,
seas amd air globally. Our competitive advantage has always been training combined with the will to fight wars and endure its challenges!
seas amd air globally. Our competitive advantage has always been training combined with the will to fight wars and endure its challenges!
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MSG (Join to see)
I see your point! However, I think that if a Soldier can pass the modern physical fitness test, they're "fit" enough for combat mentally and physically. Perhaps establishing a minimum score to avoid height/weight screening makes more sense?
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SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM
MSG (Join to see) Having both methods give us the best in serving! In fairness to those who serve and our citizens!Those who serve today are often faced with unseen and unknown challenges.
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MSG Thomas Currie
SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM You are exactly right about "our competitive advantage" -- but note that nothing in the advantage you described mentions being thinner than normal.
If we look at any of the conflicts the US military has fought, you will find plenty of soldiers who would not have met today's arbitrary height/weight standards.
We constantly see the excuse "Military members today that have be physically fit to fight and win on the battlefields" but how true is that and even if it were true, how does that relate to the current height/weight standards.
Anyone willing to think has to admit that different jobs require different levels and different kinds of physical fitness... and realistically none of those job requirements align closely with either the physical fitness test or the height/weight standards.
The ONLY reason we need an arbitrary PT test and arbitrary height/weight standards is because the top leadership doesn't feel they can trust leaders at the lower levels to train and evaluate their soldiers.
Unfortunately those top leaders are probably right -- for one thing, they remember the days when they were junior officers and they remember covering for soldiers who were good at their job even if they didn't pass some event on whatever PT test was in use at that time or didn't look like they belonged on a recruiting poster.
Having a clearly defined standard makes pushing paperwork a lot easier -- even if that clearly defined standard makes no sense at all.
If we look at any of the conflicts the US military has fought, you will find plenty of soldiers who would not have met today's arbitrary height/weight standards.
We constantly see the excuse "Military members today that have be physically fit to fight and win on the battlefields" but how true is that and even if it were true, how does that relate to the current height/weight standards.
Anyone willing to think has to admit that different jobs require different levels and different kinds of physical fitness... and realistically none of those job requirements align closely with either the physical fitness test or the height/weight standards.
The ONLY reason we need an arbitrary PT test and arbitrary height/weight standards is because the top leadership doesn't feel they can trust leaders at the lower levels to train and evaluate their soldiers.
Unfortunately those top leaders are probably right -- for one thing, they remember the days when they were junior officers and they remember covering for soldiers who were good at their job even if they didn't pass some event on whatever PT test was in use at that time or didn't look like they belonged on a recruiting poster.
Having a clearly defined standard makes pushing paperwork a lot easier -- even if that clearly defined standard makes no sense at all.
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The system needs to be redone completely. We need to redo how we treat those in the ABCP as well as how we measure once the the Soldier fails to meet the initial HT/WT standards, and the actual HT/WT allowances and bodyfat percentage allowed. Many gyms have means and methods of measuring bodyfat that don't involve a dunk tank nor taping. We are blowing tons of money on ACFT equipment so why not at the BN level buy something like what the gyms use? It's relatively quick, efficient, safe, and effective. That would also take the human error aspect out of it as so many people tape wrong either to the benefit of the Soldier or to their detriment. We have belittled and emotionally damaged a multitude of Soldiers as an organization over the years and that culture needs to end. We should still have standards and enforce those standards but they should be more realistic and more attainable without harming the Soldier's mental or physical well-being.
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