Shipping soon, both a buddy and I

[kjanko586]

Afternoon all!

A buddy and I are both shipping in the next week. I am at retention shipping weight, whereas he is not. He is worried out of his bosom, and I read that if he is within 5% of the maximum allowed weight (197 in my case, 203 in his) AND is able to pass the IST minimum, that he can still ship to boot camp.

I don't want to leave him behind, so can anyone confirm this?

He is working out as we speak!

Thank you all for your response, and thank you for your service which I plan on joining a.s.a.p.!

[Soon2BeVIP]

When I went to MEPS this happened to a guy leaving for boot that day and he was fine. My recruiter said that when I went down I was gonna get DQ'd because of my weight, but I would just get a quick waiver since I was within 5%

[Kildars]

Welcome to the site.


How much is 5% really, couldn't he just lose it?

[jackson07]

Can someone explain this 5% to me? Like I need to weigh 197 lbs and I will make it, but I am just wondering. Like is it 5% of 197, or how does that work?

[Soon2BeVIP]

Can someone explain this 5% to me? Like I need to weigh 197 lbs and I will make it, but I am just wondering. Like is it 5% of 197, or how does that work?
Alright well with me it was I was underweight, but it was the same thing. Most people it's usually for being over the weight limit. For me at my height I had to weigh 131, but I kept coming in at 127, 132, and then 125. For me being within 5% was that I had to at least be over 124.5 (131x.95) and I was def over that. You can do it a bunch of different ways to figure it out. If it's for the possibility of being overweight then just take the weight you need to be at and multiply it by 1.05, which come out to be like 206 in your case of 197. It's pretty dumb, I don't get why they have maximums and minimums and then let you go past them, but hey it worked out for me. But my recruiter is all over me to eat this whole next year and I'm at 136.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

The maximum and minimum are for Marines. They allow the 5% above or below for people shipping to boot camp so that they can go into training. If you're below your weight you'll be on double rations. If you're over the weight you'll be a diet recruit. Either way, you'll need to fall within the guidelines to graduate. (OF course, there are plenty of Marines that are over their weight. If you're under 18% bodyfat you can get a waiver for that as a Marine.)

[Soon2BeVIP]

Oh that makes some sense now. Thanks. Alright well I need to make sure I add on the pounds now. Double rations almost sounds nice, but when I think about having to shove down food that I don't really feel hungry enough to eat...yaaaa..no I'll pass

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

You'll be plenty hungry. For some reason everyone but the diet recruits seemed to always be hungry. They seemed to do fine. I guess their body was burning the fat for the extra energy.

[crzyredneck]

My Max is 191, but if i make 198 or under by the time i ship, i still get to ship due to the wavier. The marines have 2 waviers, 5% and 10% but you must meet the IST also to get those. See i am still overweight a little but my recruiter said that as long as im under 198 i will still get to ship. But i would suggest him still trying to lose the weight and if he has to use a waiver then fine, but if not its better to go in at regular weight. I ship on the 3rd so i have been in the gym daily trying to lose the weight.