THE HISTORY OF THE ARMY WEIGHT STANDARDS

Medical officers in the U.S. Army are tasked with screening, evaluatin g, and processing soldiers in accordance with AR 600-9, the Army's hei ght and weight standards regulation. This essay traces the origins of the Army's weight standards to the present day. The Army's height and weight standards have varied markedly, from the crude subjective asses sment of selective service candidates at the local draft examination b oards at the turn of the century to the modern, highly accurate method s currently used in anthropomorphic research. The strictness of milita ry recruitment and retention standards closely paralleled changing mil itary personnel requirements in any particular era. Racial integration and the influx of women into the ranks had noteworthy effects on this history. The evolution of the Army's weight-control program and scree ning standards reflects advancements in medical knowledge and technolo gy, societal and political pressure, and the empirical tests of world wars.