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MAJ FAO - Europe
13
13
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Losing 75 pounds, going up by 2% body fat on the tape test......and yet some in the Army will argue that the tape test isn't broken. Unbelievable. SPC (Join to see) great comment!
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LTC David B.
11
11
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There are SO MANY more accurate & effective ways to get this done!! With today's technology, there's NO VALID REASON why the tape test should be the determining measurements used to discharge "fatties." I always felt that these Soldiers were WORTH the extra time &, of course, the money!

PERSONALLY, I believe the tape should be for SCREENING purposes to determine who gets further tested using whatever CURRENT method would give the commander a Soldier's ACCURATE BMI. Furthermore, consider even to REDUCE the allowable percentages! Sure more will get further tested but there's soooooo many who just make the tape that are fat as hell......and some who are that close but FAR from actually being overweight (and who also get the stigma of being a "borderline" Soldier when they aren't). >1/4 for men and >1/3 for women......that's how much FAT is allowed of their current body (at certain ages!). I've had to ruck the radio for an RTO (more than once) who was too small to carry it!! He could run like the wind but couldn't ruck the radio!

Don't get me started on the impact of the overweight program on retirement awards. (Crap, I'm started.......) Sure we "like" to say it doesn't, but the truth is that's then FIRST thing considered (almost EVERY commander and EVERY retirement award I've processed). I've had to go back in and fight for those who were decorated heroes but got hurt then got fat.......then retired because it was simply enough. An NCO gives his/her "good" 20 years, multiple combat tours, and for whatever reason gets retired because they're fat should NOT get an ARCOM as a retirement award. (The "good" is NOT meant to reflect those who avoided deployments, got DWI/DUIs, or anything like that or the superstars......just the regular, run of the mill, gimme 100 of them, good Soldier)
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SSG Section Sergeant
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Excellent discussion.
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SSG Recruiter
5
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What always drove me nuts about the current system is that you can have a guy that scores a 270+ on a pt test and is great at his job yet can face chapter because of his waist and neck measurements. I got two buddies this has happend to.
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