Posted on Dec 29, 2015
Should someone be denied a retirement award, after 20 years of service and 4 deployments, because they're flagged for being overweight?
120K
848
331
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Awards
Retirement
Height and Weight
AR 600-8-22
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 109
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The HR screener reviewing your resume doesn't give $0.02 about your ribbon rack. However, that 20-yrs of service WILL catch their attention. Time to focus on what's in front of you.
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CW3 (Join to see)
Best possible response. As a guy who left with 26 years I can tell you that one better have one's head in the game twice over what we thought of in service. I started resumes 4 years before I got out to get good at them. Just one example. Want a successful civilian transition? Put your back into it and effect what YOU can effect. Your weight/award piece of the issue is very likely not the big picture view that will make you successful.
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SFC Larry Mann
Exactly, I retired 5 1/2 years ago, after 24 active years. Nobody cares about awards or military accomplishments. Get that DD214, and move on to next chapter of your life.
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If a Soldier got flagged for 600-9, it is their fault. No one made them get over weight. Complaining about it won't fix the problem and it is no one else's fault except the Soldiers.
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SFC (Join to see)
1SG Timothy Trewin false, Soldiers can and are flagged for being over weight, happens all the time in the WTBs.
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1SG Timothy Trewin
SFC (Join to see) If they are getting flagged for overweight due to issues that are medically related then that is a messed up situation. Now if they have the ability to maintain fitness and proper body weight/body fat then that is a totally different conversation.
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MSG Steve Wiersgalla
Wow 3 years full of crap. The original post "Should someone be denied a retirement award, after 20 years of service and 4 deployments, because they're flagged for being overweight?"
1. Your overweight your overweight. After 20 years you should know the standards.
2. It' an end of service award, whoppdy doo! No guarantee you are going to get one.
3. You will have a DD214 that States HONORABLE. That is the one thing we all look forward to our entire career.
I am very surprised at all of the what ifs that were brought into this thread resulting in a huge amount of very unprofessional behavior. We have rules and regulations for a reason as well as customs and courtesies. It amazes me the amount of soldiers that can't/ won't adhere to standards.
1. Your overweight your overweight. After 20 years you should know the standards.
2. It' an end of service award, whoppdy doo! No guarantee you are going to get one.
3. You will have a DD214 that States HONORABLE. That is the one thing we all look forward to our entire career.
I am very surprised at all of the what ifs that were brought into this thread resulting in a huge amount of very unprofessional behavior. We have rules and regulations for a reason as well as customs and courtesies. It amazes me the amount of soldiers that can't/ won't adhere to standards.
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I find it interesting that an APFT failure or an overweight Soldier who is FLAGGED, is still considered a combat deployable asset. Its like sending a M4 with a bent barrel to the front line for use. Its kind of a double standard I think. The Soldier is not good enough to receive something he/she earned despite the infractions to regulations, but he/she is good enough to stop a bullet.
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1LT (Join to see)
SGM Erik Marquez - perhaps I misinterpreted your comment above, but it appeared that fat and/or unfit could pull gate guard leaving qualified SMs for the real work. I post your comment in quotes here which lead me to my interpretation (with your implied suggestion that overweight SMs are unmotivated and incapable): "When DIV, BDE, or BN tasked me for 2 SM for gate guard, MP guard, head count at the DFAC, police call., or any other duty that pulled valuable resources from those filling patrol or support positions for those patrols.. darned right that overweight APFT flagged Sm has a use. Off to the tasked duty he goes... so my motivated, professional ready SM's can go on patrol, fix a vehicle, cook chow, deliver supplies. All critical jobs... all needed to be filled by physically, mentally, technically and tactically ready Soldiers."
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SGM Erik Marquez
1LT (Join to see) - " "When DIV, BDE, or BN tasked me for 2 SM for gate guard, MP guard, head count at the DFAC, police call., or any other duty that pulled valuable resources from those filling patrol or support positions for those patrols.. darned right that overweight APFT flagged Sm has a use. Off to the tasked duty he goes... so my motivated, professional ready SM's can go on patrol, fix a vehicle, cook chow, deliver supplies. All critical jobs... all needed to be filled by physically, mentally, technically and tactically ready Soldiers.""
And where does that state I think them "Overweight magically makes an SM dumb and incapable?"
Where does that say " SM can no longer aim a weapon or squeeze a trigger, recognize a threat, operate a radio, or perform PMCS of a vehicle? "
Not sure if you just want to be argumentative or not seeing this as a leader would..
Seeing as you did not dispute any of the points I actually made...
We will keep the numbers simple..
100 competent, qualified SM in the company
90 needed for the rigorous needs of patrol daily, sometimes several times a day.
Of those 100, 10 SM in the company are over body fat meaning more prone to injury and illness, more likely to become fatigued sooner than a person of a more healthy body weight.
Which 10 would you assign those light duty tasking?
If you don't answer the 10 overweight in this pretend company, well, we would disagree on that decision.
Reality is, we never have those good a numbers, and folks that in a perfect world should not go out the gate, do.
I NEVER said nor implied being over weight makes one stupid, less technically competent.
If there is no underlying medical condition, the SM who is knowledgeable on the Armys weight control standards, has been provided the knowledge and ability to eat healthy, exercise to their capability and they choose to eat un healthy and exercise only the min they can get away with.... would YOU not call them unmotivated? I did and would today.
NONE of that or anything I wrote addressed or was respective to an SM who is overweight due to an underlying medical condition ..which can be a reason for a temp weight gain if they have the ability to modify behavior and correct it. A temporary weight gain with no ability to correct it until the medical condition is corrected.
All of it was respective to the SM with a long term weight gain because they just don't care...
And where does that state I think them "Overweight magically makes an SM dumb and incapable?"
Where does that say " SM can no longer aim a weapon or squeeze a trigger, recognize a threat, operate a radio, or perform PMCS of a vehicle? "
Not sure if you just want to be argumentative or not seeing this as a leader would..
Seeing as you did not dispute any of the points I actually made...
We will keep the numbers simple..
100 competent, qualified SM in the company
90 needed for the rigorous needs of patrol daily, sometimes several times a day.
Of those 100, 10 SM in the company are over body fat meaning more prone to injury and illness, more likely to become fatigued sooner than a person of a more healthy body weight.
Which 10 would you assign those light duty tasking?
If you don't answer the 10 overweight in this pretend company, well, we would disagree on that decision.
Reality is, we never have those good a numbers, and folks that in a perfect world should not go out the gate, do.
I NEVER said nor implied being over weight makes one stupid, less technically competent.
If there is no underlying medical condition, the SM who is knowledgeable on the Armys weight control standards, has been provided the knowledge and ability to eat healthy, exercise to their capability and they choose to eat un healthy and exercise only the min they can get away with.... would YOU not call them unmotivated? I did and would today.
NONE of that or anything I wrote addressed or was respective to an SM who is overweight due to an underlying medical condition ..which can be a reason for a temp weight gain if they have the ability to modify behavior and correct it. A temporary weight gain with no ability to correct it until the medical condition is corrected.
All of it was respective to the SM with a long term weight gain because they just don't care...
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1LT (Join to see)
SGM Erik Marquez - I was not trying to be argumentative. The quote indicates that SMs overweight are for tasked duty while ... "my motivated, professional ready SM's can go on patrol, fix a vehicle, cook chow, deliver supplies. All critical jobs... all needed to be filled by physically, mentally, technically and tactically ready Soldiers." I asked you those questions to clarify what you meant, that somehow overweight SMs do not meet the "physically, mentally, technically and tactically ready Soldiers" that you refer to. It read that overweight are unmotivated and not ready for 'critical' jobs. I was confused by your statement. There were never any QUOTES in my question to you about magically dumb or anything else. Your comment makes an inference and I was seeking your clarification.
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1LT (Join to see)
SGM Erik Marquez - BTW, I see you and I were at Ft Ord same time. I was in G2 and then TCAE. Was on JRTC rotation with 9th INF RGT 'Manchus' to Chaffee. The Manchu Mile was tough; I did the 4 day march Nijmegen when I was stationed in Germany.
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