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RMJ
01-27-17, 02:09 AM
Hello Marines, I have done some searching around on the forums, but I have not found a solid answer. Can you sign a contract at MEPS overweight? Can you ship overweight? Is there a third weight check at Boot Camp or is your pre-ship check the final one? I have heard that if you are within 5% of the weight requirement you can carry on without a waiver of any sort. I am 72 inches which leaves me with a 202lbs limit. The thing is I am an prior service 26 year old Corpsman with giant muscles. I am very lean and I have a first class PFT. This leaves me fluctuating around 207lbs down from 212lbs about a week ago. I am training and dieting very hard, so I plan to make the weight. However, I am curious on the actual policy if I was a pound or two over.

Another side question: I am told that enlisting into the Marine Corps will have me lose rank from E-4 to E-2. Non-Marine service members have told me that due to the fact that I was an E-4 for nearly 5 years. I would only be dropped down to E-3. Is there any truth to that? Does my time spent as an E-2 previously count toward time spent toward picking up E-3?

crazymjb
01-27-17, 10:38 AM
I shipped with a weight waiver. If you are truly fat, they'll probably put you on half rats. If you are lean and jacked I wouldn't worry. The recruiter could probably better answer your questions. The USMC has a height/weight and tape system. If you are crushed the PFT (I think its 290 or above), you don't even need to tape even if you don't make weight.

On the rank front, last I checked you'd go in as an E2, if you were the honor grad in boot camp it is possible to make E3 meritoriously. I didn't see this happen, but we didn't have some meritorious E3s in infantry school. Your time in grade as an E2 should be effective when you arrive at boot camp, you can't keep your time in grade as an E2 from before. Your recruiter should have more current info, but I'm pretty sure this is still how it is.

I'd bring your ribbon rack to boot camp as well. Possibly have your recruiter help you set it up right beforehand to make your life a little easier.

Mike

Tennessee Top
01-27-17, 01:38 PM
You need to talk to your recruiter about these questions. The services recently changed their height/weight policies. If you can make a certain score on the Physical Fitness Test (PFT), you're not considered overweight (which pertains to your situation). I don't know what that score is.