It might sound silly, but the US Army does have height and weight requirements. They are actually a critical part of the screen process of future soldiers and all officers and enlisted personnel must comply with the requirements. There are no exceptions to these requirements so if you are considering joining and worried about your numbers, read on. If you think that these requirements are not serious, there is data out there showing that they eliminate one out of four candidates applying.
New recruits may be held to the same fundamental standards as serving military personnel. When it comes to future soldiers who don’t satisfy physical requirements, the procedure is very different from how it is for those who have already finished basic training. Recruits who don’t fulfil Army physical requirements—including those related to height and weight—will have the same chance as their enlisted peers to do so through structured exercise initiatives and other methods.
The official recruiting website for the United States Army states that the height range for recruits is 5’0 to 6’8 for males and 4’10 to 6’8 for women. The Army’s official website, which features a height and weight calculator, specifies a range within which it will operate. The age threshold for these conditions is 17.
In addition to the minimum and maximum height standards, candidates must also meet the minimum and maximum weight requirements. Age, gender, and height are taken into account when determining these requirements. For instance, a 5’5″ male Army recruit aged 18 cannot weigh more than 163 lbs. A male Army recruit who is 25 years old and the same height can weigh no more than 165 pounds, while a male Army recruit who is 30 years old and is 5’5″ can weigh no more than 168 pounds.
There is no general advice for such instances, however in some cases a recruiter may be able to request a waiver for particular individuals who don’t fulfil the minimal qualifications. Ask the recruiter up front about the possibility of a waiver and the conditions in which Army regulations currently enable them if you have any reservations.
Ben