The new body-fat standards are between 18% and 26% for men and between 26% and 36% for women, according to a Dec. 18 memo from undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness Anthony J. Tata that the Pentagon released on Monday.

“The upper limit for allowable [waist-to-height ratio] for military service body-composition policies shall be less than 0.55,” the memo says.

The ratio is determined by dividing waist measurement by height.

Under the policy, service members with a waist-to-height ratio of 0.55 or above will be further tested and, if found to exceed body-fat standards, will be placed in their service’s remedial programs and referred to medical authorities for an evaluation, according to the memo.

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[–] FlakesBongler@hexbear.net 34 points 2 months ago

I guess those Meal Team Six jokes really got to someone

[–] aanes_appreciator@hexbear.net 33 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Bizarre attempts to avoid the fact that it doesn't really matter lmao. What, are they gonna dump thousands of professional soldiers who are willing to die for the empire because of some weird metric-chasing? Motherfucker, if they can still march 40 miles a day in combat gear they're probably fit enough to sit around on a colonial base for 6 months waiting to get vaporized by a mortar attack shrug-outta-hecks

[–] Blakey@hexbear.net 3 points 2 months ago

It's a fair point, actually. Test for performance, if they can do the thing who cares? If being fat really does stop people from doing the thing you'll get rid of the fats pretty quickly anyway. If not you get to have more people who can do the thing.

That being said everyone should be kicked out of the US military obviously.

[–] Axolotl_cpp@feddit.it 28 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

And just like that, their army went to 27% of the original size

[–] segfault11@hexbear.net 17 points 2 months ago

JDPON... pete???

[–] Euergetes@hexbear.net 24 points 2 months ago (3 children)

fucking... what? im certainly no nutritionist but taking ssome random waist-height ratio seems entirely unrelated to fat? muscles make your waist bigger don't they?

[–] culpritus@hexbear.net 15 points 2 months ago

Doing basic BMI calculation is notoriously bad at assessing actual body-fat % in athletes and other highly muscled people. BMI uses weight to height ratio primarily, and this is even worse by using waist to height ratio.

[–] Ekranoplane@hexbear.net 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It says they're just using BMI as a fast negative check, but do real body fat assessment for the positive check

[–] Euergetes@hexbear.net 6 points 2 months ago

its just absurd to imagine one of those tiny muscle-men getting sent to a doctor for being ripped and short because the leadership is so obsessed with aesthetics

[–] GrouchyGrouse@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago

It’s Potsdam Giants bullshit for the 21st century but they don’t even march prettily

[–] Awoo@hexbear.net 17 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I'm sorry but... 18% and 26% ?

I'm not shaming or anything but like, that's quite a lot, even for a military eliminating "fat troops" it's a lot.

I don't think I've ever seen a masculine-presenting british soldier over 18%. Not glazing the british military obviously but i'm just saying that those are some large troops if they need to keep it that high to not lose too many soldiers.

[–] TreadOnMe@hexbear.net 15 points 2 months ago

The funniest thing here is that this shit just doesn't work for people who labor for a living. Like we have burned through so many 'athletic' people who have no stamina, but chunky guys with no prior health issues can just go and go and go. Military won't be able to carry shit at this point.

[–] huf@hexbear.net 15 points 2 months ago

oooh the pentagon's gonna become the biggest buyer of ozempic?

[–] The_hypnic_jerk@hexbear.net 15 points 2 months ago

It's funny to have this statement and then we see what ICE looks like. This is coming from a fat guy himself

[–] Firstnamebunchofnumbers@hexbear.net 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You can take my beautiful fat wife from my cold dead hands

Oh wait this is for boot boys sorry i got scared

[–] SorosFootSoldier@hexbear.net 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Listen fat, I love your wife, the other Biden, you got that Jack? biden-alert

[–] Firstnamebunchofnumbers@hexbear.net 3 points 2 months ago

biden blast

[–] slacktoid@lemmy.ml 11 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Cant have people in the military without a snatched waist

[–] WashedAnus@hexbear.net 2 points 2 months ago

Cinched plate carriers.

[–] Blakey@hexbear.net 1 points 2 months ago

26% body fat on a guy isn't exactly svelte

[–] SmithrunHills@hexbear.net 6 points 2 months ago

Yup, they're definitely building robots to replace the drastic shortage of soldiers from this. Mark my words

[–] sewer_rat_420@hexbear.net 6 points 2 months ago

Get our brave boys and girls some GLP-1s

[–] Evilphd666@hexbear.net 5 points 2 months ago

So what they are saying is it might be easier to get on the food for freedom program?