The report, “Management Advisory: Army’s Future Soldier Preparatory Course Places Trainees At Increased Risk of Adverse Health Effects,” found that recruiters and leadership at the Army Training Center and Fort Jackson admitted recruits with body fat percentages that did not comply with the military branch’s physical fitness requirements and standards.
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Complicating the matter, in addition to violating standards, was the strain admitting such people put on the Army’s medical resources, the report noted. Such practices are hazardous given that the recruits admitted above the acceptable body fat percentage levels could experience health problems. They must lose a significant amount of weight in a short period to meet the body fat percentages to graduate.
“Based on interviews with ATC&FJ officials and the Division Medical Director and a review of ATC&FJ medical policy, we determined that ATC&FJ leadership prioritized the program’s already limited medical resources on the 14% of trainees above the authorized body fat composition limit,” the report read. “With the limited medical support and percentage of trainees above the body fat composition limit, the ARMS (Assessment of Recruit Motivation and Strength) 2.0 pilot program trainees are at an increased risk of suffering adverse medical consequences while trying to lose weight in a short time.”
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The Army’s Future Soldier Preparatory Course was created to act as a backchannel entrance into the military for those who initially would be disqualified from enlisting due to being unable to meet requirements, such as physical fitness standards, among others, according to Military.com. If a recruit was outside these requirements, the applicant was granted 90 days to comply with Army regulations.
Any recruit who failed to do so would not be admitted into the military branch.
* Original Article:
Army disregarded physical fitness standards to hit recruitment goals