My Opinion ON: The US Army Tape Test

Well, I have a few things to say about the Army Tape Test, something to say about its particular ridiculousness.

The tape test is performed to give you your body mass. You take your height, your weight and then you do the tape test. If you are over your weight allowance for your height. So the way they perform this tape test is beyond wrong. I'm not entirely sure what they do for women, but I know what they do for men. For the men, they take a measuring tape and they tape you around your abdomen, at belly button level, and around your neck just under your Adams apple. Now, I'm trying to find someone that can explain to me the whole neck taping and what it has to do with your body mass. For the life of me, I cannot understand the neck being taped. It makes zero sense to me. What does it have to do with your waist?! In my opinion absolutely nothing!!!

Now if the Army, if you fail this test for 3 months in a row you can be chapter out. (Kicked out)

Meaning that:
1. It doesn't matter if you can pass your PT test with flying colours (running, push ups and sit ups)
2. That you know your job
3. That you've never had an Article 15 (disciplinary action)
4. That you've never broken the law, Or;
5. You've put in time defending your country due to deployments

All that matters in the Army, is how you look in your uniform. Its ludicrous. There are men and women out there that have put in years and years of service and they're getting the boot because they can't pass the tape test. Its ridiculous!!!

You can do drugs and get away with it.

You can get a DUI (drunk driving) and get away with it.

But... you can't fail that tape test and get away with it!!!

The military needs to come up with a new way to discover BMI. I know that there are other ways out there, but the army doesn't want to put forward the expense! Well when it comes to these men and women that are finding themselves in a discharge position they deserve the expense to be paid. They deserve the best chance they can get.

I am a believer in that if you can't pass your PT test, then yes... You should be taped. But if you can pass it, and you pass it well you don't deserve to be scrutinized with a tape test and having the threat of being kick out thrown in your face!!!

The Army has some warped views on a lot of things, and this is the number 1 thing that is messed up. There are other things that are problematic... Like Lt's who think they're bad asses because they were handed their rank, and didn't do anything to really earn it, other then go to college.

So people know this about the US Army:

Go out and get a DUI and put other peoples lives in danger by driving drunk... you could not only kill yourself but a complete stranger with your lack of morals!!! (sarcasm does not work well in print) But the army will just give you a slap on the wrist and turn a blind eye by not doing anything, oh wait they'll demote you 1 rank... HARSH I know. *rolling my eyes*

DO Drugs and set a horrible example for people, friends and family. Hurt the ones you love by doing these horible things... the Army won't care. They'll just slap you on the wrist again for such an exuberant action.

But DON'T YOU DARE fail that tape test. They'll kick your ass to the curb!!!