Deadline looms for airmen to submit waist-to-height ratio after Hegseth’s vow to crack down on ‘fat troops’

Deadline looms for airmen to submit waist-to-height ratio after Hegseth’s vow to crack down on ‘fat troops’ Defense Secretary has made tightening fitness requirements a key priority - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Active-duty members of the U.S. Air Force have until the end of the month to submit their waist-to-height ratios to leadership, part of a Trump administration crackdown on military fitness. “To strengthen our readiness, every Airman must focus on fitness and appearance standards,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach wrote in a letter on Monday. The fitness standards, which call on Airmen to maintain a ratio below 0.55, are an “important component of our overall fitness program and provides commanders another tool to understand the readiness and health of the force,” Wilsbach continued. “Finally, continue to uphold our dress and appearance standards,” he added. “A professional image reflects discipline, pride, and attention to detail.” The ratio requirements, which reservists have an extra month to submit, come as part of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s campaign against what he has called “fat troops” in the military. “If the Secretary of War can do regular, hard PT [physical training], so can every member of our joint force,” Hegseth told a major gathering of military leaders last fall. “Frankly, it’s tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops.” Hegseth has also lamented poor physical fitness among potential military recruits. “I know it’s not easy on the basic ingredients on recruiting,” he told recruiters in December. “Too many of our young people are too fat or too dumb — not dumb, that’s wrong. You know, we’re just not educating them properly or they’ve got criminal records, or ADHD, or all these other things.” Military leaders have clearly taken notice of the new physical requirements. Last week, the Army announced it was ditching its long-standing height and weight tables, as well as its tape-based waist circumference test, in favor of the 0.55 waist-to-height ratio. "This is about lethality and health," Sgt. Maj. Edgar Monsanto said of the change in an interview with an Army website. "We are adopting new metrics to ensure our Soldiers are healthy and physically fit to fight and win." The Marine Corps is pursuing a slightly leaner ratio of 0.52 for its service members. Those who fail to meet the new standards can expect to be referred to medical authorities, denied promotions or eventually fired from the military, the Pentagon said in a December memo. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has pushed for additional changes to soldiers’ appearances, including tightening rules requiring troops be clean-shaven. During his September speech about “fat troops,” Hegseth also slammed “beardos” in the military. He was reportedly annoyed when a June visit to a Navy ship revealed sailors with beards who appeared to be ignoring his directives. “Want to bring to your attention that the SecWar is paying close attention to the progress,” a Pentagon official told colleagues after the incident, CNN reports. “In fact, the push is to move faster … there is a need to revamp some of our timelines,” the email continued. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments