A significant number of young men and women are too fat to get into the military. Military Concerned About Troops’ Weight:
Each branch of the service has its own entry rules, but by federal weight guidelines, 43 percent of women and 18 percent of men in prime recruiting ages exceed screening weights for military service, Bathalon said.Army standards are based on body fat, using a chart for body-mass index — a ratio of weight and height — as a screening tool. If soldiers or recruits exceed chart limits, body fat calculations are done using a formula based mostly on waist size.
Marines can be as much as 10 percent over weight standards to ship to boot camp.
‘The Marines say, ‘Send us anybody and we’ll turn them into a Marine.’ They’re pretty successful at it,’ Friedl said.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure the Marines have a solution for youngsters with a few extra pounds to lose.