The army uses height and weight as first filter for control, whether you answer physically. Look at it as fast test. If you stay inside those limits, everything is fine If weight surpasses the maximum for the height, no panic immediately.
The upper and bottom limits for recruits go from 5 feet 0 inches until 6 feet 8 inches for males, and from 4 feet 10 inches until 6 feet 8 inches for females, according to the recruiting website. Other source points 58 until 80 inches for both sexes, with weight between 119 and 227 pounds. Those heights are standard, and any in that range can be accepted, if weight matches the right value.
Army Rules for Height, Weight and Body Fat
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Weight standards are a bit more difficult than heights, because they depend on height, age and gender.
For instance, 21 until 27 year male soldier of 5 feet 9 inches weigh between 136 and 179 pounds to follow the rules. The army issued lists with maximum and minimum weights according to height. Recruits can join quite heavy, hoping that they fix it during Basic Training.
All soldiers, regardless of rank, are weighed every 6 months, for control under the listed height-weight standards, shared according to sex and four age groups. Soldiers surpassing those weight screenings enter first rating of body fat percentage by means of circumference method. For measure body fat, officers take tape measurements: three for men (height, neck, waist) and four for women (adding hips).
The Pentagon ordered to use waist-to-height proportion for estimate body fat, substituting the old height-weight lists as main measure. If soldier fails both tape-attempts, he can require additional body fat rating by means of DXA, InBody 770 or Bod Pod, if avaliable. If do not require or fail, he enter the Army Weight Control Program.
For height-examination soldiers stand straight without shoes, and calibrated tools guarantee accuracy. Popular myth say that tall people always succeed, but that lies, because standards tie height with weight. The current rules date almost twenty years and base on almost forty year study.
Weight does not match fat, and it does not cause only bad look. Mighty lifter in 260 pounds, mostly muscular, yet are overweight for the army if surpass recruit weight for his height. The Army Body Fat Calculator helps to calculate and observe fat percentage according to military standards.
If you enlist but do not accomplish physical demands at MEPS, you can elect for the prep march of the Future Soldier Preparatory Course.
