Can you be overweight and join the military?

Applicants who qualify through the ARMS test get a free pass on being overweight, but they do have to get themselves in shape within a year of entering active duty. Early research suggests that recruits who get ARMS waivers have attrition rates similar to enlistees who enter the Army without a waiver.
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How fat is too fat for the military?

Current policy requires service members to maintain body fat levels below a key threshold: 28 percent for men and 36 percent for women.
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What military branch accepts fat people?

That could be one just one of many conclusions drawn by a recent Department of Defense study that found the Navy earned the dubious honor of surpassing all other branches in its rate of obese personnel.
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What happens if you are overweight in the army?

If you exceed the Army's body-fat percentage requirements, you will receive an official letter stating that you will be placed on a weight monitoring program. The program will require you to lose a specific number of pounds per month.
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What is the weight limit for military?

As of 2020, the height requirement is 58-78 inches (147-198 centimeters) for men and 58-72 inches (147-183 centimeters) for women. The maximum weight allowed varies by height, from 148 to 267 pounds (67 to 121 kilograms) for men and 120 to 184 pounds (54 to 83 kilograms) for women.
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How To Lose Weight To Join The Military (2022)



Can overweight people be drafted?

Even if you are a male of age to be drafted, there's a big chance you'll never have to go fight overseas. In 2017 Pentagon data showed that 71 percent of American between the ages of 17 and 24 were actually ineligible to serve in the military due to being too overweight and other disqualifying factors.
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Can you join the Air Force overweight?

If you are overweight and want to join the military, you face some challenges. In order to recruit for the Armed Forces, the military has weight standards when checking a person's height and weight. You can't meet these requirements if your body fat percentage is above 32%.
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What is the max BMI for the Army?

The disparity in maximum BMI between men and women was marked: while the maximum allowable weight-for-height for women in any service corresponded to a BMI of 25.1 (Army), for men it corresponded to a BMI of 28.2 (Air Force) (GAO, 1998).
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Do you lose weight in the military?

While you may lose 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in a week on the military diet, not everyone will. Plus, most of this would be water weight rather than fat, which you'll regain when you start eating as you normally do.
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Who has the fattest military?

The Army came in at 17.4%, the Department of Defense average, while the Air Force had a slightly higher rate, at 18.1%. The Marines were by far the leanest, with an obesity rate of only 8.3%.
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Who is the fattest military branch?

The Navy is the US military's fattest service branch, with an obesity rate of 22%, a new Department of Defense report found. The Navy isn't the only service getting fat — obesity is on the rise across multiple services.
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Can you be fat in the Navy?

Below are the Navy's height and weight allowances for recruits to enlist. The maximum allowable body fat limits are 23% for men and 34% for women.
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Can I join the military at 250 pounds?

You can still serve the U.S. Armed Forces if you are obese by receiving a medical waiver. Approximately 20% of new recruits need a waiver for their weight to attend boot camp. However, those that receive a waiver must lose weight and reach minimum requirements prior to the end of boot camp to continue training.
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How many soldiers are obese?

Admittedly, the military's proverbial belt has gotten tighter as the obesity rate has “increased steadily” in recent years, according to the most recent health of the force report. The 2018 report found that 17.4 percent of service members were classified as “obese.”
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What is the fastest way to cut weight for the Army?

Eat more raw fruits and vegetables for carbs and grilled or baked lean meats for protein (chicken, turkey, beef, fish) but never fried. Drink a lot of water. Depending on your weight, you can add 50%-75% of a gallon a day to your drinking.
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How much weight will I lose on a 3 day water fast?

Because a water fast restricts calories, you will lose a lot of weight quickly. In fact, research shows that you may lose up to 2 pounds (0.9 kg) each day of a 24- to 72-hour water fast ( 7 ). Unfortunately, a lot of the weight you lose may come from water, carbs, and even muscle mass.
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What time do you wake up at Basic?

You'll get up at 5 a.m. every single day. Waking up in the morning is an adjustment process that's the same for every single basic training class. When you first arrive, the drill instructors require a lot of noise, yelling and jostling to get everyone out of the rack.
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Can soldiers be fat?

With recent news of the military releasing service members for being overweight or​ obese and failing fitness standards, it comes as no surprise that as America grows in girth, so does our military. In the past year, the military has released more soldiers at the highest rates in history (1,600+).
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What is the body fat for the Army?

The US Army body fat percentage standards

Age 21 to 27 - 22% for males, 32% for females; Age 28 to 39 - 24% for males, 34% for females; Age over 40 - 26% for males, 36% for females.
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Do you have to be a certain weight to join the military?

These requirements are on a scale based on age, gender, and height. For example, an 18-year old male Army recruit who is 5'5 must weigh no more than 163 lbs. A 25-year old male Army recruit who is the same height can weigh no more than 165, and a 30-year old male Army recruit who is 5'5 can weigh no more than 168.
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Does the Army have a fat camp?

Fat camp plans

The school opened in August, and gives recruits who didn't graduate from high school the chance to earn a GED before starting their nine weeks of basic training. "We are looking at the Army Prep School as a place where we might send some (recruits) that have weight issues," the two-star general said.
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Can I join ROTC if I'm overweight?

Yes, there are some progressive physical fitness requirements and you cannot be overweight and complete the program. ROTC gives you the opportunity to learn what the military is all about these days - the role of the Army and its soldiers, (strategy, politics, technology, standards, career fields, etc.)
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What disqualifies you for the military?

To enlist, you must be qualified under current federal laws and regulations or have an appropriate waiver. There are age, citizenship, physical, education, height/weight, criminal record, medical, and drug history standards that can exclude you from joining the military.
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What is considered morbidly obese?

Individuals are usually considered morbidly obese if their weight is more than 80 to 100 pounds above their ideal body weight. A more widely accepted and more exact way to define morbid obesity is with the body mass index (BMI).
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What physical conditions will keep you out of the military?

(1) Deformities, disease or chronic pain of one or both lower extremities that have interfered with function to such a degree as to prevent the individual from following a physically active vocation in civilian life or that would interfere with walking, running or weight bearing, or the satisfactory completion of ...
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