SMA Grinston wants height & weight exemption for high ACFT scores
October 12, 2022Sergeant Major of the Army, Michael Grinston, recently stated he wants to see changes to how the Army measures the ACFT in relation to body composition.
Body Comp Update...Here's what I want to do:
— Sergeant Major of the Army (@USArmySMA) October 12, 2022
If you score 540 on the ACFT, we should exempt you from ht/wt. The science supports this, but there are a few caveats. Give us a little time to work out the details...
The Army has faced many difficulties solidifying a way to measure the physical fitness of Soldiers and the Army Combat Fitness Test has undergone several revisions over the last few years. This includes testing a gender neutral scoring system that was ultimately shelved after feedback from Soldiers and data from testing.
To tape or not to tape?
Many people chimed in with comments, questions, and concerns, particularly when it came to how this might impact the way Soldiers are “taped” for being over the allotted weight.
Being taped is when certain body parts are measured with a tape measuring device, and the recorded numbers are put in a formula along with the Soldier’s height. The resulting calculations are then used to estimate a Soldier’s body fat percentage.
This comes recently after the Marine Corps announced they would ensure that “Marines who are identified as over their allowable body fat percentage when taped will receive a DEXA or BIA scan to ensure body fat percentage accuracy prior to enrollment in the body composition program.”
No changes have been made for height & weight exemption as of yet, but SMA Grinston has asked for patience while the details regarding the ACFT are sorted out. However, most responses we observed agreed the current height and weight standards are outdated.
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