The military has a weight problem - and it is getting harder to get rid of those who are not meeting standards.
I go to several military bases, both AF and Army. I am a amazed at the fatasses in uniform. Amazed. Young and older alike. There are big butts and muffintops everywhere.
I am an avid weightlifter and circuit trainer and my last caliper test put my body fat at 9%. Most would consider me “ripped”. (six pack abs, extreme muscle definition) At 5’10” and 190 lbs according to my BMI, I am “overweight”.
O wants the military to be staffed with skinny people like himself.
BMI is absolute bullspit. If you can pass an old-fashioned PT test, you can serve. Nuf ced.
BMI charts and Chapter 13 actions - a sure sign that another drawdown is underway.
Back in the 80s, the Army asked all Commanders what we thought the Army should have for a test of physical fitness. I told them to talk to the combat vets around the world. They would have real world experience with what was necessary for combat fitness. Instead, they went with what was cheapest. The three event physical fitness test was made the standard not because it measures combat fitness, but because it was the cheapest. The old five event test had to have some equipment (horizontal ladder, run-dodge and jump course) and that cost money. The three event test just required ground and a stopwatch. So, we don’t really know if our Soldiers are fit for combat. Our leaders hope they are. And the weight control program never even tried to be about combat fitness. It was just a means to get rid of people. When DESERT STORM was gearing up, all of a sudden, weight control wasn’t important. How could that be? We were going to war! Is weight important or not? It’s important if you are reducing the force. It’s not important if the enemy has tanks.