Is passing tape still bad?

2018-06-28T00:29:03-04:00

I like building muscle and gaining size, but I always get held up when I start getting to the weight where I will have to be taped (even though I know I’d pass.) I feel as though their is a negativity to just the act of being taped in general... Anyone get taped regularly? Does it have any effects on career whatsoever? I feel I may be limiting my potential gor no reason.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 28 at 2018 12:31 AM

2018-06-28T00:31:43-04:00

I think at this point passing tape isn’t bad, ever. There are people in the Army that everyone knows is “overweight” because of muscle. As an MOS instructor, I see almost 100 different students every four months, and if they pass tape, it doesn’t even cross my mind for the rest of the course.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jun 28 at 2018 12:35 AM

2018-06-28T00:35:06-04:00

CPT Private RallyPoint Member every APFT since my MS1 year. I have never been below screen weight, nor even close. When I left Advanced Camp in 1992, I was still 7 pounds above screen weight. Retired with 22 years on Active Duty. If you are close and can trim down to the weight for record APFTs, I would. You must be in standard all the time. A GO for ABCP is a GO.

Response by LTC Trent Klug made Jun 28 at 2018 1:08 AM

2018-06-28T01:08:16-04:00

I have been in the Army since 1988. I've always been taped been taped. Their has never been any negatives associated with my service because of it.

Response by SGT Aaron Atwood made Jun 28 at 2018 1:20 AM

2018-06-28T01:20:25-04:00

If I was in training's shoes I could care less about passing tape especially since there are far more effective ways of measuring body fat. My concern is one's physical and combat fitness level. If you're swol then you're swol, and that should never be considered a bad thing. I'm glad that the Marine Corps side of the house went back to waiving standards to a certain extent depending on how high of a score you get on one's fitness tests. Score close to perfect on both the physical and combat fitness tests and you can be completely waived from weigh ins/taping for that for that point in time.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 28 at 2018 1:22 AM

2018-06-28T01:22:25-04:00

It does not have any career repercussions that I am aware of. I was taped and passed in ALC and did not hear another word. Although the course first sergeant did say generally that those who passed tape and know it was not all muscle should take steps to get back in weight for the sake of military appearance. I am not sure about the OER, but the NCOER simply asks if Soldier met standard, not "was Soldier overweight but still made tape".

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 28 at 2018 1:26 AM

2018-06-28T01:26:26-04:00

As long as your DA 5500 says "Individual is in compliance with Army standards" there will be no problem.
On a side note Sir, your Platoon Sergeant could have answered this quickly, or your Senior NCO wherever you are in the pipeline. Please use your enlisted advisor, we are here for you.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 28 at 2018 2:04 AM

2018-06-28T02:04:41-04:00

Passing tape is never bad. I have lots of friends who are taped every time. The screening tables are meant for skinny people.

Response by SFC Stephen King made Jun 28 at 2018 6:30 AM

2018-06-28T06:30:46-04:00

Great question, As a person who was virtually taped for his entire career I agree with all those who answered. That being said not all feel this way. I once was told I had to get to my screening weight without tape to go to a school. It was hard and I felt miserable once I got to the school I immediately added the weight back and My run still went down.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 28 at 2018 7:03 AM

2018-06-28T07:03:48-04:00

No issue
The only thing to worry about is in your body building be aware of neck and waist size. The army only uses a neck to gut formula so if you build great strong abs and don't have a large neck you may put yourself at risk in the future.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 28 at 2018 7:08 AM

2018-06-28T07:08:41-04:00

No passing tape is not bad. I have been in the Army for a total of 19 years and have been taped all but two times. I am a bigger guy (73in normally around 215) but still managed to get between a 295 to 300 on the PT test over the last 8 year. Heck at my size my best 2 mile time was 12:40. That is why none of my commanders really cared even when I taped within 3% of max because I was doing well on the test. As a final note don't forget to run, it is always going to be a big part of every test the Army does.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Jun 28 at 2018 7:32 AM

2018-06-28T07:32:47-04:00

The last time I weighed in I was overweight, but passed tape. Time in a hospital does weird things to your body.

It makes me think back to an odd situation prior to that where I hit right on my maximum weight and my immediate rater informed me that "I can't be that heavy". This also from the leader that wrote me an average review in spite of my senior rater writing me one of the strongest I could have ever seen.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 28 at 2018 7:46 AM

2018-06-28T07:46:59-04:00

I have been taped my entire 18 years in the army i am 6'3" 260lbs i bench 450 squat 450 and deadlift 550 i will always get taped ive tried time and time again to slim down. I dropped to 220 but my body fat % remained exactly the same because my neck and my waist fluctuated equally. I just make sure my NCOER reads correctly in the pt section. Example maxes pushups situps etc. Part of the post 1000lb club etc etc. Should never hurt you we are all built differently. I can remember a time where i could beast mode with a 70lb ruck and when you got tired i could carry yours to. Dont worry taping is pretty common.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Jun 28 at 2018 9:20 AM

2018-06-28T09:20:42-04:00

The big boys get taped. Just how it is. Whether they're big because of muscle or fat or a combination of both, the Army had to draw a height/weight line somewhere and the big boys cross it. Its only a bad thing based on the individual being taped. If Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson were in the Army, he'd have to get taped, and you know that dude aint fat! I'm not The Rock, but I got taped all 8 years of my AD & Reserves, and yet I never worried, because I knew I would always be well within range.

From the grader/taper perspective, having to tape someone you know is OBVIOUSLY within standards is a bit silly since the only reason is they are muscular enough to cross the weight threshold; and don't they say muscle per equal volume is around 3x the weight of fat?

Moral of the story: Relax. If its muscle weight, you're fine. Passing is passing is passing.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 28 at 2018 9:22 AM

2018-06-28T09:22:31-04:00

I have been getting taped for the last 16 years, it's no biggie

Response by CPT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 28 at 2018 11:11 AM

2018-06-28T11:11:06-04:00

I have always been taped and it has never negatively affected my military career. Rest easy LT.

Response by SGT Tony Clifford made Jun 28 at 2018 11:44 AM

2018-06-28T11:44:21-04:00

I literally got taped every time I did the APFT. The army uses the BMI to determine height and weight limits. This was designed by a 19th century mathematician and was never meant to be an indicator of fitness. According to the BMI at 6' with a 189 lbs weight and a 270 pt score, I was considered overweight even though after the tape test I was shown to have a body fat percentage of 9 or 8 depending on the time of day. The failure is that of the army as about half of most units soldiers need to be taped. So long as your body fat is acceptable, no problem exists.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Jun 28 at 2018 1:24 PM

2018-06-28T13:24:00-04:00

Personally I did all I could to stay under the max weight and not have to be taped, ran, rode bike and watched what I ate.
Technically and officially being taped and passing has no adverse effect on you or your career. However your height and weight are on your ERB/ ORB and why give anyone a reason to feel the need to look harder at you on selection boards.
If you're getting taped, pass and are getting 290's and 300's on your APFT then folks probably won't be overly interested.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2018 11:42 AM

2018-06-29T11:42:00-04:00

You should be fine. Just make sure it’s muscle your building and pass your APFT. The metric used by the Army cannot differentiate between muscle skeleton and body fat. Horrible, horrible metric!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 30 at 2018 6:06 AM

2018-06-30T06:06:46-04:00

I’ve been taped my entire career and it hasn’t slowed down my progression. As long as you score above average on your APFT, everyone will know you’re just a beast lol.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 30 at 2018 10:05 AM

2018-06-30T10:05:46-04:00

Passing tape is not bad. In fact, I workout regularly, and take pride in the fact that I must be taped. My advice is that you don’t limit yourself because you’re worried about the repercussions of being taped. I’ve been in for 10 years, and have never seen any disciplined or negative stigma come from someone needing to be taped and passing.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 1 at 2018 7:36 PM

2018-07-01T19:36:56-04:00

Ive been tapped for 8 years ive never had any problems.

Response by PO2 David Allender made Sep 17 at 2018 12:39 PM

2018-09-17T12:39:31-04:00

If a soldier is over wight, his chances of surviving in war are reduced/ Need to stay in shape physically and mentally. Much better chance for survival. Also if you are overweight your buddy's will want to help you and their chances are reduced also in combat. So it is not just yourself who is at risk. Think about it. Are you willing to see your buddies killed because of you? This attitude of taping is gfoing to be the death of many soldiers. Get rid of it.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Sep 17 at 2018 12:45 PM

2018-09-17T12:45:42-04:00

I lifted while I was in and taped for both my promotions as an Officer. Most boards, raters and senior raters will look at your PT score more than the fact you taped. If you taped and score 85 or 90 percent in every event, you won't have a problem. BTW, the new test should be good for those of us that lift.
I did have a BN CO that thought 300 was a meets standard on the PT test, but he was not the rule.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Sep 17 at 2018 1:28 PM

2018-09-17T13:28:32-04:00

Not everyone who has to get taped is actually overweight. The Army weight system is outdated and in need of a serious overhaul. Allegedly, they are reviewing ABCP to see how to update it or make it more realistic. Let's be serious - our weight standards are just ridiculous. I have never had to get taped. But my roommate from basic/AIT she was always getting taped but she wasn't fat or overweight she was muscular. The Army's focus on the number on the scale is ridiculous because look at these people who are muscular but "overweight" according to the Army.

As long as one meets the standards, you're fine. If you have to get taped because you're Army "overweight" due to muscle mass, you should be fine when you get taped.

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Sep 24 at 2018 8:32 AM

2018-09-24T08:32:17-04:00

There are people in all the branches that have this taping challenge. What is needed is a DOD standard.. Each service is allowed to set their standard. Some may be more restrictive than others What is needed is an acceptable medium
For All service members.

Response by MAJ Samuel Weber made Feb 17 at 2019 11:12 AM

2019-02-17T11:12:07-05:00

I would only say that being taped would reflect negatively if you looked overweight (fat). But if I see a DA Photo with a guy (or gal) who is 230 but has an athletic frame, I wouldn’t think twice. I’ve had bad photos in the past and had people believe I was overweight, then when I met them in person they were surprised at how Lean I was. Bottom line: if you routinely pass your APFT, look like a Soldier and don’t look obese, then I wouldn’t obsess over it.