A recently released report from the Pentagon Inspector General has raised significant concerns about the U.S. Army’s fitness standards in light of its push to meet ambitious recruitment goals. This report follows closely behind an announcement from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who celebrated the Army’s achievement of the “best recruiting numbers” in 15 years, a milestone achieved just last month.
The Inspector General’s findings reveal that approximately 14 percent of 1,100 trainees who underwent training between February and May 2024 did not meet the Army’s body fat standards. This assessment took place despite the Army adjusting its thresholds and providing these trainees ample time to shed the required weight. Specifically, under the Future Soldier Preparatory Course, recruits who exceed the body fat limits by more than 8 percent can still enlist as long as they commit to losing the excess weight within a 90-day window.
The Army’s established body fat limits set the maximum at 26 percent for male recruits and 36 percent for female recruits. Alarmingly, the Inspector General’s report indicated that some individuals were allowed to join with body fat percentages exceeding the standard by as much as 19 percent, translating to male recruits potentially having body fat levels as high as 45 percent. Such levels of body fat would likely be classified as “morbid obesity” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In addition to lax fitness standards, the report highlighted shortcomings regarding medical support for overweight recruits tasked with reducing their body fat. It was noted that the Army has not deployed a sufficient number of dietitians or medical personnel to assist these struggling individuals. Furthermore, many recruits who exceed the 90-day adjustment period do not receive thorough metabolic health assessments. Instead, they often receive incomplete medical clearances before advancing to basic training.
The Inspector General cautioned that with limited medical support and a significant proportion of trainees surpassing the body fat composition limit, these recruits face heightened risks of adverse medical outcomes while attempting to lose weight in a short timeframe. As of now, the U.S. Army has not provided responses to inquiries about the standards that allow severely overweight applicants to pass initial screening processes. The findings present a challenging dilemma for military recruitment strategies amid ongoing concerns about the health and readiness of new enlistees.
