Officials confirmed on Wednesday that some troops who previously passed under the prior criteria may potentially fail under the new ones as the US Army transitions to a new method of determining soldiers’ body fat. The Army is making changes to the tape test, which measures a soldier’s body fat by measuring the circumference of various body parts using a measuring tape. When a soldier’s weight does not fit within the prescribed body mass index screening table, the tape test—often despised by soldiers—is utilized.
Men used to have their necks and abdomens taped, while ladies had their necks, waists, and hips taped. All soldiers, regardless of gender, will now have a tape placed around their navel to determine their body mass index. When the study began in 2021, many soldiers applauded the Army’s attempts to modernize its Body Composition Programme. Although more soldiers will fail the new test, Holly McClung, the primary researcher on the Army’s Body Composition Study that led to the change, told reporters on Wednesday.
34% of individuals were passing the tape test when they should have failed
According to Army data given to CNN, 34% of individuals were passing the tape test when they should have failed. According to the data, the new exam is anticipated to comply with the rules and result in more failures. Given that troops who don’t match the weight requirements can be discharged from the military despite trying for months to lose weight, the shift could be cause for alarm.
Sgt. Maj. Christopher Stevens, the senior enlisted leader of the Army’s personnel office, responded to questions about concerns that more soldiers might fail as a result of the updated body composition study on Wednesday by saying that the Army is “putting everything on the table to really look at how we can ensure that we continue to assess and retain quality.” As the Army switched to a new fitness test that included more weightlifting than the previous exam, raising worries that the body evaluation wouldn’t take into account increased muscle mass, the tape test practice has long been criticized as being out of date and inaccurate.
The waist circumference measurement is not a diagnostic tool for determining body fatness or health, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, but it can help identify individuals who may be at an increased risk of developing obesity-related health issues like diabetes and heart disease. In fact, according to the Army, soldiers “with a high volume of lean muscle mass were still at risk of failing the body fat assessment.” As a result, the Army declared that troops who passed the Army Combat Fitness Test with a score of 540 out of 600 would not be required to be taped. For the exemption, you must score at least 80 out of 100 on each of the six fitness tests.
If a soldier fails the tape test as required by the new laws, they will still be able to measure for the next year
“As soldiers leverage all domains of Holistic Health and Fitness and strive to reach their maximum potential, our policies should encourage their progress, not constrain It,” Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston said at the time. McClung said Wednesday that efforts by the Army to link data on body composition to soldiers’ performance are “kind of groundbreaking.” “And what we hope is that over years to come, maybe the bar will get heightened and that it won’t be a 540 it’ll be a 550, it’ll be a continuous moving benchmark because the soldiers will become more fit,” she said.
If a soldier fails the tape test as required by the new laws, they will still be able to measure for the next year. A soldier has the choice to request a second evaluation utilizing certain equipment that measures body fat using X-rays or other techniques if they fail both tests. The Army Body Composition Programme is designed to help soldiers lose weight and return to within guidelines if they still weigh more than is acceptable for their height and gender. According to Army standards, they will meet with a qualified dietitian and receive “exercise guidance” from a fitness trainer in the unit.
After six months, soldiers who don’t meet the criteria can have their service terminated. According to McClung, those who were mistakenly deemed to have passed won’t be “necessarily separated from the Army.” She stated, “We want to help them. We want to put them on a health promotion track, work with some trainers and dietitians, and bring them up to standards.