The Army scrapped its height-and-weight tables and tape test in favor of a semiannual waist-to-height measurement, the service announced Tuesday.
The Army is seeking more accurate and holistic measures of soldier fitness, moving away from outdated and potentially discriminatory methods.
This policy change reflects an evolving understanding of health and readiness, potentially broadening recruitment pools and improving soldier capabilities.
The primary method for assessing soldier physical fitness related to body composition changes from simple height/weight tables and tape tests to a more nuanced waist-to-height ratio.
- · Army recruitment
- · Soldiers with different body types
- · Military fitness assessment developers
- · Outdated fitness assessment companies
Individual soldiers will now be assessed using a new body composition standard.
The change may lead to a more diverse demographic within the Army able to meet physical standards.
Other military branches or even civilian fitness regimes might adopt similar, more progressive assessment methodologies.
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Read at Army Times