Marines in Iraq exempt from fat limits

[deadparrot]

The U.S. Marines decided the battle of the bulge should be fought only on U.S. soil and those in Iraq are exempt from the corps' rigid weight-loss program.

Under an order issued before Christmas, field commanders in Iraq are allowed to exempt troops from its Body Composition program that includes frequent weigh-ins, extra physical training and Semper Fit nutrition lectures, The Los Angeles Times reported.

In combat, the priority is combat and getting home safely and completing the mission, Lt. Col. Kristi VanGorder of the Training and Education Command at Quantico, Va., told the newspaper.

The Marines allow a maximum 18 percent body fat for men and 22 percent for women -- except those who do well on a fitness test.

http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=204114&cat=World

[O.M.B.inOhio]

1. in other words, they're not too choosy anymore. nt

[gratuitous]

2. Or . . .

It's more important to be Semper Fit stateside at your desk job than it is to be in fighting trim in a war zone. Either explanation is pretty loony, so I don't discount either of them.

[Big_Mike]

3. No, this makes good sense.

When stateside, you do PT daily, your work hard, and you have the time to ensure your nutritional plan is good. While in combat, that nonsense has no place in your daily routine. Figure two or three MREs a day, each with 3500 calories, and if you aren't physically working too hard, the weight will add on. You don't burn many calories standing guard duty, or when pulling maintenance on vehicles, or any other of the myriad tasks that compose the daily life of a field troop. Add in the fact that formation running or even a PT formation provides a pretty good target for mortars or drive-bys. So it seems to me that someone had a blinding flash of brilliance and decided to make a good policy decision.

[Seabiscuit]

5. The extra calories also do no harm once you're blown to smithereens

Sometimes a smithereen is just a smithereen.

[Ernesto]

6. Good call Big_Mike.....

When I was in the crotch, many Marines (including me) would volunteer to go back to Nam just to avoid the stateside BS which included the infamous "PRT" (physical readiness test).
On the other hand, in Vietnam our asses were pretty much worked off daily, no matter what the immediate strategic circumstance.
.. Oh yeah, welcome to the DU!

[Big_Mike]

12. Yeah, Desert Shield/Storm saw me...

not having to put up with the BS from the home station.

And thanks much for the welcome! I mostly lurk, but occasionally comment.

[TroubleMan]

11. Eating MRE's all day will make you get fatter

Whenever we went out in the field for a week or two, most people gained some weight. Also, the logistics and safety issues of coodinating a PT session are probably pretty tough.

[happyslug]

4. When I was in the National Guard, we had fat limits also.

And you were NOT allowed to re-enlist OR have "any positive administrative action" i.e. promotion or re-enlistment, until you came under the weight guidelines. I suspect that is what is happening with the Marines in Iraq, they need to promote people but can't do to the weight rules (Also such people generally can NOT re-enlist until they get their weight down).

After writing the above and remembering the stories of Marines/Soldiers being pressured to re-enlist while in Iraq, how many are saying "I can't re-enlist, I am overweight"?. It is a quick shut-up line an enlistee can tell his Senior Enlisted personel and Officers. More I think of it, the more I suspect it is happening. After years of being told you can not re-up do to weight, now you cna re-enlist no matter your weight? Sounds like someone is tired of being told the person their were presruuring to re-enlist can't re-enlist do to his weight.

One last comment, in combat most people LOSE WEIGHT, do to stress of Combat. Most over-weight people (even in the Military) is do to excessive eating and lack of exercise. In Iraq you have very few places to buy food over and above your Rations, AND you are constantly on the go. Thus while the men are having less PT, the reduction in PT does NOT explain the change in policy. People telling officers they can't re-enlist do to being overweight is to good an shut up line for enlisted personel NOT to be using it (and I suspect adding weight to their bodies to make sure they are over weight, a couple of boxes of bullets in the BDUs could put a person over).

My point is this in my experience in the National Guard, this seems to be more a way to get people to have "Postive" Action done for them (i.e. re-enlisted) when some enlistees are trying to use the weight rule to end the pressure to re-enlist.

[AndyTiedye]

7. Were People Getting Out By Fattening Up?

People used to get out of the draft that way.

[FlemingsGhost]

8. Body fat stops bullets! Only thin folks need body armour.

Jelly doughnuts for everyone!

[Joey Liberal]

9. I have no problem with this

The average Jar Head in Iraq has a lot more to worry about than gaining weight. Since most of them love President Bush, I do not feel sorry for them.

[Ernesto]

14. "Since most of them love President Bush"

Can you support that statement?

[Joey Liberal]

15. Sure I can

I work with the military. Most of them, especially the Marines, love President Bush.

[Solly Mack]

10. considering the the purpose of the PT program -

to maintain fitness for combat and to avoid serious injury, this is ah...well...tragically hilarious

[Book Lover]

13. Wait a sec,

did the guys at the top finally make a decision that makes sense? Be still my heart...