Battle of bulge won’t be fought in Iraq

SAN DIEGO – The Marine Corps has decided that fighting one war at a time is enough.

A recent order from Marine headquarters at Quantico, Va., says Marines sent to Iraq can be exempt from the Corps’ rigid weight-loss program, which requires frequent weigh-ins, extra physical training and “Semper Fit” lectures about nutrition.

The rigors of being deployed in Iraq have made it difficult for Marines to comply with the fitness plan, known as the Body Composition Program, Marine Corps officials said. Under an order issued before Christmas, commanders are allowed to exempt their troops in Iraq from what is usually a six-month program.

“In combat, the priority is combat and getting home safely and completing the mission,” said Lt. Col. Kristi VanGorder, head of the training section at the Training and Education Command at the base in Quantico.

Once a Marine leaves Iraq, he or she is required to resume the fight against fat. Failure to meet the Corps’ standards for body fat percentage can lead to an administrative discharge.

Every Marine undergoes an official weigh-in at least twice a year. If an individual is heavier than a set standard for his height, then body fat is calculated.

The maximum body fat for men is 18 percent; for women, it is 26 percent – although the standard is looser if the Marine excels on an annual fitness test. If his or her body fat is below a prescribed maximum, the Marine is considered to meet the standards regardless of weight and height.

“We don’t want a bunch of skinny Marines,” said VanGorder. “What we want is healthy Marines.”

An overweight Marine who has been enrolled in the program before going to Iraq “should attempt to make progress,” according to the order.

Although while in Iraq the Marine will be exempt from the weigh-ins and other aspects of the program, the individual will not be eligible for promotion until returning to the U.S. and meeting the body-fat standards. The only exception is a Marine who performs heroically in combat and receives a meritorious promotion.

Although the Marine Corps might enforce its standards more vigorously, each of the military services has a program to keep its personnel in fighting trim. The Marine Corps has a maximum weight for a person’s height, regardless of age. The Army makes allowances for weight by age, and allows a higher percentage of body fat for all age groups.

Sgt. Zachary Ballantine, a martial-arts instructor and weight-control instructor at the Quantico base, says 35 of the 700 Marines in his battalion are in the Body Composition Program.

With younger Marines in particular, much of the program involves warning them to stay away from fast food.

“It’s so easy to order a pizza or a cheeseburger,” Ballantine said. “You can’t eat like a slob and then expect to perform well.”