The Pentagon on Monday issued a memo directing the U.S. military to evaluate the body fat of troops using a waist-to-height ratio, replacing traditional height-and-weight tables as the primary measure of physical standards.
“The upper limit for allowable [waist-to-height-ratio] for Military Service body composition policies shall be less than 0.55,” the memo declared.
The new body fat expectations range from 18% to 26% for men and 26% to 36% for women, according to the memo.
Personnel who surpass these thresholds will be enrolled in the military’s remedial program, it stated, adding that failure to meet the standards “may result in the withholding of favorable personnel actions, including promotions.”
Continued violations, meanwhile, could lead to administrative measures, such as separation from the military, the document stated.
Under the new rules, all service members will be evaluated twice a year.
The memo, signed by Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel Anthony Tata, framed body composition as a “vital component for the warrior ethos and foundational to lethality and readiness.”
The directive also addressed service members who perform well on fitness tests yet fail to meet body composition requirements.
Those who excel on fitness tests “may be granted allowances,” but only within limits set by their branch. The memo stresses, however, that high performance “does not excuse non-compliance with body composition standards.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who previewed the shift to a waist-to-height measurement system in September, said the change is intended to “promote consistency and fairness across the joint forces.”
Hegseth has decried the physical fitness of America’s armed forces and signaled last fall that stricter standards were forthcoming.
In an address to top military brass at Quantico in September, Hegseth said he no longer wanted to see “fat generals and admirals” or overweight troops in uniform.
“It’s tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops,” he said. “Likewise, it’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the country and the world. It’s a bad look. It is bad, and it’s not who we are.”
In his push to build a fitter force, Hegseth has revamped military grooming standards — requiring service members to be clean shaven and neatly presented — and has called for combat arms positions to revert to “the highest male standard only.”
The Pentagon also began a six-month review in January to evaluate the “effectiveness” of women in ground combat roles.
Tanya Noury is a reporter for Military Times and Defense News, with coverage focusing on the White House and Pentagon.
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