Army Body Composition Standards
Every standard on this site is cited to a primary Army source — Army Directive 2026-13, AR 600-9, the ALARACT messages, and armyresilience.army.mil. Each page below answers one distinct question, in plain English, without inventing details the sources do not support.
The July 2026 transition
On July 7, 2026, Army Directive 2026-13 made the Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) the sole authorized body-composition assessment method for the U.S. Army, with a threshold of 0.55. All previous assessment methods — the height/weight screening tables and the circumference-based tape tests — were rescinded on that date.
The change ended three distinct eras: the screening-table era (height/weight tables from AR 600-9), the multi-site tape era (which lasted until June 2024), and the single-site tape era (June 2024 to July 6, 2026). A soldier with an older ABCP record may have been assessed under any one of these methods, which is exactly why the archived standards are preserved and labeled here.
Current standard
Transition
Body Composition Transition Timeline (2023–2026)
Which standard applied on which date.
Publishing soonMEPS and recruits
MEPS Enlistment Height & Weight Standards
The enlistment screening standards recruits face before shipping to Basic Combat Training.
ABCP process
ABCP Exemptions
Who is exempt and under what conditions.
Publishing soonSupplemental Assessment: DXA, InBody 770, BOD POD
Alternative assessment options and how to request one.
Publishing soonAppeal Body Composition Failure
How re-measurement and appeals work.
Publishing soonABCP and Promotions/Schools
How ABCP status affects promotion and schooling.
Publishing soon90-Day ABCP Recording Window
What the recording window requires and who records it.
Publishing soonNew Recruit 180-Day Grace Period
The post-accession period — current status being verified against the directive.
Publishing soonHistorical (archive)
Army Body Fat Standards (Historical)
Maximum body-fat percentages by age group under the archived standards.
Publishing soonArmy Tape Test: Pre-July 2026 Method
How the multi-site and single-site tape measurements were performed.
Publishing soonArmy URLs move. Every source cited on these pages is re-checked every 90 days, and sooner whenever the Army amends a directive or regulation. Need a calculator instead? Open the WHtR calculator or browse the calculators hub.