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thedrifter
10-04-06, 06:16 PM
Army raises weight standards for women
Officials say new limits take body type into account

By Lisa Burgess, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, October 5, 2006


ARLINGTON, Va. — In a move officials say acknowledges the fact that women come in different body shapes, the Army has raised its weight standards for females across the board.

The new regulations, which went into effect Monday, allow female soldiers to weigh anywhere from six to 19 pounds more than was previously permitted, depending on their height and age.

The standards for the maximum percentage of body fat women soldiers are permitted to carry, however, remain unchanged, according to Army regulation 600-19.

The new rules “are trying to be more reflective of actual women’s body types,” Army Lt. Col. Norman Wade, an Army spokesman, told Stripes on Wednesday.

The regulation had not been updated since 1987.

Army officials decided to take a look at the weight charts because they were “hoping to reduce the [number of] soldiers being put into the Army weight control program,” according to Master Sgt. Charles Timms, a senior enlisted adviser in the Army’s personnel division.

“We saw many women were being introduced into the weight control program due to the stereotype that all females are basically shaped the same,” Timms told Stripes on Wednesday.

Some of these women, Timms said, were not necessarily fat or unfit. They just had body types that gave them the appearance of being overweight.

Army officials conducted surveys and read research papers on the topic of women’s health and fitness and how it relates to body composition, “and we found that stereotype to be false,” Timms said.

By increasing the maximum allowable weights, but not the maximum allowable body fat percentages, the Army is “identifying what’s really out there in society” but not compromising the Army’s standards, Timms said.

For example, women 17 to 20 years old who are 67 inches tall, or 5 feet 7 inches, can now weigh up to 159 pounds, instead of 145 pounds.

A woman that height who is 21 to 27 years old can weigh up to 161 pounds, instead of 149 pounds.

A female soldier who is 28 to 39 years old can now weigh 163, up from 154, and one who is more than 40 years old can weigh up to 166 pounds, instead of 159 pounds.

Maximum allowable body fat percentages for women in the following age groups are: for 17-20, 30 percent; for 21-27, 32 percent; for 28-39, 34 percent; and for women 40 and older, 36 percent.

Once Army officials concluded that “various females have various shapes and sizes …. We had to redesign and revamp the measuring process,” Timms said, so the updated regulation also changes the places women soldiers are measured.

Instead of using the neck, forearm, wrist and hips, female soldiers are now measured around the neck, waist and hips, Timms said.

The weight standards for men have not been updated, Timms said, and neither has the process for measuring men: They are still measured around the neck and abdominals.

The Marine Corps has stricter weight standards than the Army. Body fat is limited to a maximum of 18 percent for males and 26 percent for females regardless of age, according to spokeswoman Staff Sgt. Christina Delai.

The Marines do not make allowances for age in their weight tables, either, Delai said.

The Navy is the same as the Marine Corps, gearing its weight tables to height and sex, but making no allowances for age, according to spokesman Mike McLellan.

In the Air Force, recruits must meet weight standards in order to join, and the weight chart for men and women recruits is identical: for example, the maximum entry weight for a recruit who is 5 feet 5 inches tall is 165 pounds, and the minimum weight is 114 pounds, according to Air Force regulations.

Once an airman is accepted into the force, however, the service no longer uses a weight chart. Instead, airmen are judged according to body mass index, which uses a mathematical formula that calculates body fat relative to height and weight.

Ellie

greensideout
10-04-06, 08:23 PM
Quote: "Women come in different body shapes".

HELLO---Of course they do! Where have the officials been, on the moon?

This looks to be another example to change the military to fit our current society. Or should I say, our current shape.

fontman
10-05-06, 06:59 PM
The Army has weight standards? Could have fooled me...

:)

SemperFin
10-05-06, 07:45 PM
I can see in my mind the conversation that went on to combat the problem:

General A: "We have too many people in our weight programs!"

General B: "Well, we can't have too many "overweight" people in the Army now can we?"

General A: "Instead of getting these people to trim down to an acceptable weight and address the real problem, let's just raise the weight limit! It will work faster and we really don't need to do anything!"

General B: "Excellent idea. That way the numbers look better and America won't see how many overweight people we have! Sounds like a promotion to me.";)

Lord forbid they have to start to exercise.

SSgtOfMarines
10-07-06, 10:46 AM
Great. Another way to allow fatasses in the military.

Born Invincible
10-07-06, 11:01 AM
Hey the funny thing is height and weight standards are all jacked up across the board. At his physical peek Arnold Swarzenegger would have been outside of the H/W standards. The only thing that matters to me is a 1st class PFT. If a Marine can get and maintain a 1st class PFT he should be good to go. We as a corps impose these standards but place no one in the unit who is qualified (personal trainer) in the unit to help these Marines achieve their goals. The semper fit program is great when a unit has time but a dedicated Marine(s) in the S-3 shop or something that it is his job to run the Body Composition Program (BCP) would make the standard more realistic by having a mandated person take control and report to the CMC on necessary changes, etc. There is a difference between a fat lazy person, and a person who is "over the weight standard".

crate78
10-07-06, 11:50 PM
When did all these standards come about?

When I was active, all that was required was to pass the PFT twice a year.
It was, however, a matter of professional pride to maintain a trim and proportionate appearance. I can think of only one instance where someone was ordered to lose weight, and by looking at the man it was easy to understand why. And he was simply ordered to lose 25 pounds or he would not be recommended for reenlistment some two years hence. Although I do recall he needed to report to sick bay and go on the scale weekly to check progress.

SF
crate

Devildogg4ever
10-08-06, 10:36 AM
The Army has weight standards? Could have fooled me...

:)


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