In an effort to maintain the new status quo of cutting standards everywhere in the name of equality and “progress”, the Marine Corps announced major changes over the Fourth of July holiday weekend regarding how much it will allow service members to weigh, and the biggest shift comes for women: going forward “larger” ladies will be allowed to defend the country while also standards used within the physical fitness test will also be relaxed.
In a document released by USMC Fitness division, the new height and weight standard took effect on July 1, 2016 and is relaxing regulations to increase the pool of potential parties. Think of it as a covenant lite loan in a way… only “heavy.” Why would the US do this? One could be excused for understandably saying that the US is becoming more progressive and is accommodating those who have the heart to serve but not necessary the physical capability.
What’s changing? According to the Washington Post, the Marine Corps will now allow chubbier women to, so to say, slip through the cracks.
“Female Marines will be allowed to weigh five to seven pounds more than before for each inch of their height, according to new guidelines published by the service. A 5-foot-6 woman, for example, was previously allowed to weigh up to 155 pounds, but can now be 161. A 5-foot-9 woman was allowed to be up to 169 pounds, but can now be 176.”
The Corps is also relaxing the rules on pull-ups. The new rule will eliminate fixed-arm hanging as an alternative choice to pull-ups for women. In place of fixed-arm hanging women, and men, will have the option to choose push-ups instead. The incentive remains skewed toward the more demanding pull-up, as Military.com explains:
“‘Push-ups become an option on the PFT, but Marines are incentivized toward pull-ups, as these are a better test of functional, dynamic upper body strength and correlate stronger to physically demanding tasks,’ Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said in an administrative message to the Corps released Friday. ‘Push-ups are also a valid exercise and good test; however maximum points can only be earned by executing pull-ups.'”
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