Military H&W CalculatorAR 600-9 Board Questions
Question-and-answer prep for promotion boards and NCO study, current to the 2026 standard — including the superseded answers most study guides still give.
Last reviewed: · Sources: AR 600-9, Army Body Composition Program and Standards, army.mil
How to use this
These are the AR 600-9 board questions most likely to come up, with the short answers a board wants — the number, the paragraph, the deadline. Longer explanations live on the AR 600-9 page; this one is for memorising.
One warning before you start. A lot of circulating army study guide AR 600-9 material still gives the tape test and the weight tables as the answer. Those were superseded on 7 July 2026. The out-of-date answers are listed at the end so you can recognise them.
Quick-Fire Facts
The figures a board is most likely to fire at you, in one table.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is AR 600-9? | The Army Body Composition Program |
| What series is it? | 600 series, Personnel—General |
| Who is the proponent? | Deputy Chief of Staff, G–1 |
| Base edition? | 16 July 2019, effective 16 August 2019 |
| Latest revision? | Administrative revision, 27 February 2025 |
| Who does it apply to? | Regular Army, ARNG/ARNGUS, U.S. Army Reserve |
| What is the standard? | Waist-to-height ratio below 0.550 |
| How is it worked out? | Waist at the navel ÷ height, same units |
| Rounded or truncated? | Truncated to three decimals — never rounded |
| Is 0.550 a pass? | No. .549 passes, .550 fails |
| How often are Soldiers measured? | At least twice per calendar year |
| Gap after a fitness test? | At least seven days |
| What flags a Soldier? | DA Form 268 |
| Which paragraph lists exemptions? | Para 3–3b |
| Which table is the ABCP timeline? | Table 3–1 |
| What is the system of record? | Army Training Information System (ATIS) |
The Regulation Itself
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the purpose of AR 600-9? | To ensure Soldiers maintain a body composition that supports readiness, physical performance, health and a professional military appearance, and to set out what happens when a Soldier does not meet the standard. |
| What is the full title of AR 600-9? | Army Regulation 600-9, The Army Body Composition Program. It sits in the 600 series, Personnel-General. |
| Who is the proponent of AR 600-9? | The Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, who may also approve exceptions and waivers to the regulation. |
| What was AR 600-9 called before? | The Army Weight Control Program. It was renamed the Army Body Composition Program with the 28 June 2013 edition. |
| Who does AR 600-9 apply to? | The Regular Army, the Army National Guard and Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve, unless otherwise stated. There is no separate component version. |
The full edition history, from the 1987 edition forward, is on the AR 600-9 page.
↑ Back to the quick-fire factsThe Current Standard
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the Army body composition standard? | A waist-to-height ratio below 0.550. Waist is measured at the navel and divided by height, using the same unit for both. The standard is less than, but not equal to, 0.55. |
| Is 0.550 a pass or a fail? | A fail. The Army's guidance states plainly that .549 is a passing score and .550 is a failing score. |
| Do you round or truncate the ratio? | Truncate to three decimal places. Digits after the third are dropped, never rounded up, so 0.5509 is recorded as 0.550 and fails. |
| Does the standard vary by age or sex? | No. One threshold applies to every Soldier, with no age brackets and no separate limits for women. That was one of the main effects of the July 2026 change. |
| What is the maximum waist at 70 inches? | 38.4 inches. At 38.5 inches the ratio comes to exactly 0.550, which fails, so 38.4 is the largest waist that passes. |
The arithmetic, with worked examples, is on how to calculate the standard, and the full chart by height is on the army height and weight chart.
↑ Back to the quick-fire factsMeasuring and Timing
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How often is a Soldier assessed? | At least twice per calendar year. A commander may also direct an assessment at any time if they believe a Soldier may not meet the standard. |
| How long after a fitness test can a body composition screening be done? | At least seven days must separate an Army Fitness Test or Combat Fitness Test from a body composition screening. A commander may modify this when operations require. |
| Where is the waist measured? | At the navel, with the tape level all the way round and parallel to the floor, snug without compressing, taken after a normal exhale. |
| What happens on a failed screening measurement? | A confirmation measurement is taken the same duty day by a different team. That confirmation must happen before a commander takes any action, so one failed reading is never enough on its own. |
| Can a Soldier request a different method to challenge the result? | No. The waist-to-height ratio is the sole authorised body composition assessment method. A Soldier cannot request a tape test, and DXA, InBody or Bod Pod results have no standing. |
The four tape errors that each cost a quarter to half an inch are on how to measure your waist correctly.
↑ Back to the quick-fire factsEnrolment and Flagging
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What gets a Soldier enrolled in the ABCP? | A confirmed waist-to-height ratio of 0.550 or greater, meaning both the screening measurement and the same-day confirmation by a different team failed. |
| What form is used to flag a Soldier? | DA Form 268, Report to Suspend Favorable Personnel Actions. |
| What does the flag affect? | Favourable personnel actions. A flagged Soldier can be made nonpromotable, barred from command, command sergeant major and first sergeant positions, and barred from military schools and institutional training under AR 350-1. |
| What medical evaluation is involved? | Active Component and Active Guard Reserve Soldiers enrolled in the programme receive a commander-directed medical examination to rule out an underlying condition. Reserve Component Soldiers may request one at their own expense. |
| Is the ABCP flag transferable? | The Army's current guidance describes the ABCP flag as non-transferable. |
Table 3-1 Deadlines
Boards like deadlines because they are unambiguous. These come from AR 600-9 Table 3-1, the summary of ABCP-related actions, counselling and evaluations.
| Action | Who | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Flagging action, DA Form 268 | Commander | 3 working days |
| Notification counselling | Commander | 2 working days from when DA Form 268 is initiated |
| Soldier acknowledgment | Soldier | 2 working days after notification counselling |
| Read USAPHC TG 358 | Soldier | 14 days after notification counselling |
| Soldier Action Plan | Soldier | 14 days after notification counselling |
| Dietitian counselling memorandum | Dietitian | Within the first 30 days |
| Weight and body composition assessment | Commander or designee | Monthly |
The Reserve Component answer is different
For RC Soldiers not on active duty, the same actions are measured against training assemblies rather than working days — the flag before the end of the MUTA in which the Soldier is determined to exceed the standard, counselling and acknowledgment no later than the next MUTA. The dietitian memorandum does not apply. If a board asks for timings, say which component you are answering for.
The full table, including the optional Army Wellness Center route and what each term means, is on the AR 600-9 page.
↑ Back to the quick-fire factsExemptions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who is exempt from AR 600-9? | Under para 3-3b: Soldiers with major limb loss, Soldiers on established continued active duty or continued active Reserve status, pregnant and postpartum Soldiers, and Soldiers hospitalised for 30 continuous days or more. |
| Does a chronic medical condition exempt a Soldier? | No. Para 3-17c states that chronic medical conditions will not be used to exempt Soldiers from the standards. A condition can shape the medical evaluation and the support given, but it does not remove the requirement. |
| Do exempt Soldiers have to do anything? | Yes. Exempt Soldiers are still required to maintain a Soldierly appearance. |
| How long do new recruits have to meet the standard? | Six months from entry to meet the retention standard. |
| Does a high fitness test score exempt a Soldier? | No. The exemption for Soldiers scoring 465 or above on the Army Fitness Test has been rescinded and the directive behind it is inactive. Fitness and body composition are assessed independently. |
Pregnancy and postpartum have their own timeline rather than a blanket pass, covered on military weight requirements for females.
↑ Back to the quick-fire factsRemoval and Separation
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How is a Soldier removed from the ABCP? | By meeting the standard, which means a recorded measurement below 0.550. Current guidance describes Soldiers as remaining enrolled until they meet it and sets out no other removal path. |
| When is the flag lifted? | When the Soldier is released from the Army Body Composition Program. |
| Can a Soldier be separated for failing the standard? | Not during the Army's 180-day review of the waist-to-height standard. No separations for a WHtR failure occur until the review concludes and further guidance is issued. Flagging and enrolment continue in full. |
| What does the 180-day review cover? | The accuracy and fairness of the standard and its effect on readiness, and whether refinements are needed. Counting from the 7 July 2026 effective date, it runs into early January 2027. |
The whole sequence from measurement to release is on the army body composition calculator.
↑ Back to the quick-fire factsOut-of-Date Answers To Avoid
Most army body composition program AR 600-9 board questions material online was written before July 2026. These are the answers that were correct then and are wrong now.
| Old answer | Current answer |
|---|---|
| “Screening weight from the height and weight table” | There is no screening weight table. The standard is waist ÷ height below 0.550 |
| “Circumference tape test for body fat percentage” | Rescinded. One waist measurement, no body fat percentage |
| “Maximum 22 percent body fat for a 21 to 27 male” | Historical. Body fat percentage is no longer assessed |
| “Neck and abdomen for men, neck, waist and hip for women” | Historical tape sites. One site now: the waist at the navel |
| “Score 465 on the AFT to be exempt” | Rescinded. The directive behind it is inactive |
| “DA Form 5500 or 5501 records the result” | Those worksheets belong to the rescinded method. The record is the ratio in ATIS |
| “Standards differ by age and sex” | One threshold for every Soldier |
If a board member asks using the old framing
Answer the current standard and name the change. “Body fat percentage was rescinded on 7 July 2026 and replaced by a waist-to-height ratio below 0.550” is a better answer than reciting a superseded figure, and it shows you track policy rather than memorising a study guide.
What changed and why is on the directive page.
↑ Back to the quick-fire factsFrequently Asked Questions
What are the most common AR 600-9 board questions?
What the regulation is and its proponent, the current standard and how it is calculated, how often Soldiers are measured, what triggers enrolment, which form flags a Soldier, who is exempt under para 3-3b, and how a Soldier is removed from the programme.
What is AR 600-9 in one sentence for a board?
Army Regulation 600-9, The Army Body Composition Program, which sets body composition standards for the Regular Army, Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve and governs enrolment, flagging and removal.
What is the Army body composition standard for a board answer?
A waist-to-height ratio below 0.550, measured as waist at the navel divided by height in the same unit, truncated to three decimal places rather than rounded. 0.549 passes and 0.550 fails.
Which form is used to flag a Soldier for the ABCP?
DA Form 268, Report to Suspend Favorable Personnel Actions. It is initiated by the commander within three working days for Regular Army and Reserve Component Soldiers on active duty.
What is AR 600-9 Table 3-1?
The summary of Army Body Composition Program-related actions, counselling and evaluations. It lists each action, who performs it, whether it is mandatory or optional, and the deadline, with separate timings for Soldiers on active duty and Reserve Component Soldiers who are not.
Who is exempt from the Army Body Composition Program?
Para 3-3b lists Soldiers with major limb loss, Soldiers on established continued active duty or continued active Reserve status, pregnant and postpartum Soldiers, and Soldiers hospitalised for 30 continuous days or more. Exempt Soldiers must still maintain a Soldierly appearance.
Is an army study guide for AR 600-9 still accurate?
Most are not. Study material written before 7 July 2026 gives the height and weight tables and the circumference tape test as the standard. Both were rescinded and replaced by the waist-to-height ratio, so answers citing body fat percentage limits are out of date.
How long does a Soldier have to submit a Soldier Action Plan?
Fourteen days after notification counselling for Regular Army and Reserve Component Soldiers on active duty, or no later than the next multiple unit training assembly for Reserve Component Soldiers not on active duty.
Sources & References
Official and primary sources
- AR 600-9, The Army Body Composition Program — the regulation itself, via Army Publishing Directorate
- Army Body Composition Program and Standards — the Army's current programme guidance, effective 7 July 2026
- The full measure: the Army's new WHtR standard — Army Public Affairs on the standard and the 180-day review
- Army Body Composition Program — Army Public Affairs on the programme and the 2013 edition
- Army modifies body composition program, adopts waist-to-height ratio — Army Public Affairs, 7 July 2026
- Army Directive 2026-13, Army Body Composition Program and Standards — Army Publishing Directorate
- AR 600-9, The Army Body Composition Program — Tables B-1 and B-2 and the circumference formulas
- DoD Instruction 6130.03, Volume 1 — Military Medical Standards — accession medical standards, via the Health Affairs accessions page
- Military OneSource — free fitness and nutrition coaching for service members
Standards change. Confirm anything career-affecting with your chain of command, your recruiter, or the current publication on Army Publishing Directorate before acting on it.
Check your own number first
Knowing the standard and meeting it are different problems. The calculator on the front page runs the ratio in two measurements and shows your margin either way.