Instead of a more traditional BMI test, they do a waist and neck measurement that determines their fitness levels. Although measuring BMI has problems of it's own, this measurement is causing trouble for some people with oddly shaped bodies.
A plastic surgeon in Rockville, MD said he’s seen a lot of military patients that want to get their fat surgically removed because they’re afraid of losing out on a promotion for either being too fat or their bodies being an odd shape.
Some surgeons have seen their military clientele jump by over 30% in two years thanks to the tape measurement.
Because the test takes into account the proportion between neck and waist, some service members also go on crash diets or use weights to beef up their necks so they’re more proportionate to their waist.
