Who'da Thunk It!?

"Ask not what the government can do for you. Ask why it doesn't."
Gerhard Kocher


Apparently that email I wrote to a coupla people in Congress has been circulating around. I opened my email this morning to find the following email...I don't think 1SG Dunckel knew he had sent it to me...or maybe he did. Either way, the program he's talking about is for the National Guard. What really sucks is I used to have a friend that was a National Guard recruiter...but apparently I am a "selfish little ass" and we haven't talked since. Haha...*sigh*

Sirs,

I laude Ms. Chelsea Rider's interest in military service. Unfortunately for her, the Army does not, and will not use a caliper test to determine body fat. Two regulations, the AR 40-501 (Standards of Medical Fitness) and the AR 600-9 (Army Weight Control Program) determine the only acceptable means of measuring body fat is through a tape test. The max allowable body fat percentage for a female over 40 is 36%. This max allowable decreases in younger age groups, down to a 30% max for 17 - 21 year olds.

There is currently a pilot program underway that will allow applicants to enlist with a maximum of 2% over allowable body fat, if they can pass certain cardiovascular endurance tests. If Ms. Rider wants to call me at the number listed below, I will fill her in.

1SG David Dunckel
State Retention NCO
HHD JFHQ(-) 1SG
"Standards . . . no compromise"

I love the line: "...the Army does not, and will not use a caliper test to determine body fat." Way to be optimistic there, 1SG…hah…*sigh*