[Cronos]

I don’t see the problem of kicking out soldiers who are not fit enough.... provided they are given a warning and adequate time to shape up

[tdscpa]

Fat soldiers going off the fiscal cliff.

[Olog-hai]

Nor do I. But then again, there were the stories about overweight civilians being accepted as soldiers when that shouldn’t have happened.

And then, there is this odd blurb out of the WaPo’s account of the discharge policies . . .

The strict enforcement of fitness requirements in the Army has cast a spotlight on its fitness test, which some soldiers say unfairly labels strong, capable soldiers as unfit. The two-pronged test involves a physical endurance portion during which troops must do sit-ups, push-ups and a brief run. The second phase is a height and weight measurement. The criteria for both vary depending on age.

Some soldiers who are muscular are astonished to fail the height-weight standard. The first time he took the test, Staff Sgt. Ammiel Banayat was surprised to find that he was over the limit. He is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs just more than 160 pounds. To override the standard, he was subjected to a body-fat index test that takes into account tape measurements of the neck and waistlines. …

It isn’t just fat ones, apparently.

[R. Scott]

The army has had a weight control policy for decades.
There is more to being fit than meeting a height/weight standard. I was often included in the overweight group until I could get a body fat measurement from a doctor. I’d return with a note allowing me to have another 20 or 30 pounds above my current weight.
I never had a problem with physical fitness tests and worked out regularly. I thought strength was more important for our mission than looking pretty.

[ThunderSleeps]

Yep, shape up or you’re out. They give them a chance. A few years back I used to work out and train with an ex Marine at my local gym. His job, when he’s was in, was to run what he called the fat farm. A program they sent overweight Marines through to shape up. So it want like they were not given a chance and expert help. Wonder if they still run that program...

[Delta Dawn]

This is the way that the military has always been. Every service has fitness requirements, and yes, they do enforce them.

This is a case of someone writing an article so that they could be published. Tomorrow’s article; Rain is wet.