Sounds like chiefs will be breaking kneecaps to see shave chits. Memo from Secdef, we’ll see if they axe alternate cardio options too.
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NEWS RIP Beards and thiccbois
- Thread starter Max Q
- Start date
It's all so fucking stupid, and blatant.
Is it?
In the last few years the number of white sailors sporting beards has exploded. I've heard two speculative reasons why this is: expediency by medical staff (easier to sign a chit than to run a long-term eval) and restricting the ability to ask for a no-shave chit to COs. I can't say for sure the real why.
At my last command, I met the CO only once. At the command before that, we had 400 sailors - pretty sure the CO didn't have time to check the papers of all the bearded.
I want a beard. Warriors wear beards. But I don't want a bunch of 19-yo dumbasses breaking standards to grow a scraggly mess just because they know they can get away with it.
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
Meh, I don't really care about beards. I know it's an internet fad, but I think it's one of those things that's overblown by a vocal minority that actually cares about the issue.
We have, however, let fitness standards fall completely by the wayside in the Navy.... and they've declined in other services, too. Obesity leads to a slew of other healthcare problems that Tricare has to pay for, to include an increased incidence of mental health issues. It's not like the Navy's PRT is overly difficult, and the BCA gives you 3" of waist circumference above the 37" (men) / 31.5" (women) national heart association recommendations.
In recent years, we have also routinely put out-of-shape servicemembers into very public appearances.
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Beards are an internet fad- thanks for the laugh.
That's old school...looks like a current-day reliever coming out of the bullpen with a 100 mph cutter.
We’ve relaxed body fat standards, but Navy PRT standards are stricter than when the test was introduced in the 80s and even in the 90s.
I think the DoD should look at BCA standards again. Wasn’t there a report awhile back saying the USN is the fattest branch? Not saying we need sailors to be a bunch of Adonis’, but (arguably) there is something to be said about professional appearance in uniform. Seeing overweight/obese sailors (Chiefs and Officers too) is far too common IMO, and it makes us look sloppy.
I think it said it was the "phattest" branch. Might have misread that report though.
“Umm EXCUSE ME, the correct term is ‘thiccest!!” 😉
Of all the things we could be focusing on to improve quality of life, increase retention and recruiting, and deliver the much needed capability to the warfighter... this policy done none of those things.
An overweight Chief doesn't determine whether I come home from a peer conflict or not.
Making an E3 shave his beard won't fix our crumbling base infrastructure, or provide me with the sensors, weapons, killchains, and capabilities we need to win in 2027.
This is yet another example of how our "warfighter" policies are really meant to win points on Fox News, continue the overt politicization of what is supposed to be a non-political and nonpartisan organization, and ultimately will not meaningfully increase combat readiness or our ability to win the next conflict.
An overweight Chief doesn't determine whether I come home from a peer conflict or not.
Making an E3 shave his beard won't fix our crumbling base infrastructure, or provide me with the sensors, weapons, killchains, and capabilities we need to win in 2027.
This is yet another example of how our "warfighter" policies are really meant to win points on Fox News, continue the overt politicization of what is supposed to be a non-political and nonpartisan organization, and ultimately will not meaningfully increase combat readiness or our ability to win the next conflict.
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
That was 40 years ago, and it was largely based on years and years of research conducted by the DoD since the first PRT standards in 1986 along with the integration of women:
I think we know more about fitness today than we did in 1998. Besides, the passing score for the run is the same and pushups is only marginally different than it was in 1986 (42 vs 35). Now we have planks, which is easier to pass than situps, plus a slew of alternate cardio options that become easier to pass when you weigh more.