Yo! So, I'm working on getting in shape before I graduate and am thinking of joining the military. Is there a particular weight requirement to enlist? Has anyone had experience with this?
Hey there! Yes, the military does have weight and body fat requirements that vary based on age, gender, and the branch of the military you're planning to join. To give you a rough idea, for the Army, men aged 17-20 should usually be around 132 to 180 pounds and women in the same age range should be around 110 to 160 pounds.
Remember, however, that these are just "ideal" ranges. The military is more concerned with body fat percentage than weight, and if you're over the weight limit but meet body fat standards, you may still be able to enlist. For example, for the Army, the body fat limit is 20% for men aged 17-20 and 30% for women of the same age range.
On the flip side, if you're underweight, you may need to gain some to reach a minimum weight threshold.
In fact, many recruits who exceed weight and body fat limits undertake a fitness or diet regimen before enlistment to meet these requirements. So, it's definitely possible to work towards these goals if you're committed!
Hope this helps and good luck with your training!
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.