Why?

Adventures of a Modern Day, Middle-Aged Hero, on the Glory Road(to family security)

10.28.2013

I guess I didn't care enough.

Found an interesting article today about sailors and soldiers that are desperate enough to pass the militaries physical fitness standards that they are going out and getting liposuction, hoping that those inches removed in the belly will help them out. 

Now...the fact is, all 9 years I was in the Navy I was in constant danger of exceeding the Navy's body-fat standards, determined by comparing your neck and waist measurements with a height chart.  It's safe to say that the years I did pass was just as much due to a large neck measurement as the years that I failed could be blamed on my waist line. 

Still, never once was I tempted to go get liposuction to try to pass the 'rope and choke'. 

It's entirely possible, that because I was a nuclear trained operator at a time when we had a growing economy, I wasn't as worried about my fate should I get kicked out as a grunt less technically trained soldier in today's job market is. 

Possible bordering on certain. 

2 comments:

  1. Knew a ET-1 in the reserves that had a hard time meeting the standards. At times he was "over" the percentage of body fat allowed. He stood about 6'3" and weighed about 150 pounds. His problem was that he had a skinny neck.

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  2. Yeah, I was extremely fit, benching at times up to 550, and I had troubles. I was put on the "fat boy" training once. Someone pointed things out to my commander, he looked things over and watched me in the gym, made a note, and I wasn't tested again and "fat boy" training ended. It's a stupid way they do it. That's what fitness tests should be about, sum total.

    Further, in real equality, women wouldn't ever make the cut.

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