America's kids to FAT for the military!

[beth119]

Ok... This isan't good....

75 Percent of Young Americans Are Unfit for Military Duty -- Sphere News, Opinion and Analysis

[kval07]

Meh. Standards for women in the military are tough. VERY tough. When I joined, the standard for my age group (18) was 135 lbs. I haven't weighed that since like 8th grade, and I don't consider myself fat either. I have always been overweight according to army standards, but it has never once affected me being able to do my job.

And you have to be really stupid to not pass the ASVAB test too. You can get a pretty low score and still get in to the military.

[beth119]

Do they actually reject people based on their weight???

[carisal]

Originally Posted by beth119 Do they actually reject people based on their weight???

yes.
when I was in HS I wanted to sign up in the national guard, I went to the recruitment center took the ASVAB and everything, then they told me I would have to lose 20 lb to join....

[kval07]

Originally Posted by beth119 Do they actually reject people based on their weight???

Yes. You have to lose the weight to sign a contract. And if you have gained it back by basic training, you go fat camp until you lose it, then they send you to your basic training company.

[beth119]

Next question...

How do we deal with this?

BTW, shouldn't this be based on BMI? Not just standard weight?

[sns4063]

Originally Posted by beth119 Do they actually reject people based on their weight???

Oh heck yeah they do! An ex-bf got kicked out of the Marines for being too heavy...he is shorter (about my height, 5'7) and muscular.

[carisal]

Originally Posted by beth119 Next question... How do we deal with this? BTW, shouldn't this be based on BMI? Not just standard weight?

from what I remember, it was based on BMI for me... first they told me I was something like 50 lb overweight(I probably was about 215 at that point - definitely not all fat.. I was in pretty good shape, just pretty heavy ). then they checked my BMI and adjusted it to about 20 lb to lose to sign in. They lost me... it was really scary though the recruiters kept calling me for several years. I remember one time, I moved from NYC back down to SC and the second day after I moved into my new apt. a recruiter was calling....... I just told him nope I'm still too fat for y'all.

[kval07]

If you don't meet weight, they tape measure you. Men and women are taped differently. Women used to be taped on their forearm, their wrist, their neck and the widest part of their butt. They just changed it in the past couple years. They now measure only three places, but I don't know where/what. If you pass tape, you are good. If not, your are too fat. I've taped guys who are all muscle, very clearly!, and they are considered "overweight" by army standards.

[Arie]

I always wanted to join the Air Force, but I am WAY too chubby for their likings (but not huge by every day standards - perhaps a little fluffy!)

Now, I'm looking for someone in a branch of the military to kick my round rump into shape in the gym for my health and because I'd like to tackle the Air Force before I'm too old. (I'll be 26 in January!)