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Gender Issues: Improved Guidance and Oversight Are Needed to Ensure Validity and Equity of Fitness Standards

NSIAD-99-9 Published: Nov 17, 1998. Publicly Released: Nov 17, 1998.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the military services' physical fitness and body fat standards to determine if: (1) differences exist among the military services in physical fitness standards and tests and the basis for any difference; (2) the services have a sound basis for adjusting the standards for gender and age; and (3) the Department of Defense (DOD) exercises adequate oversight of the fitness program.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should revise the physical fitness guidance to establish a mechanism for providing policy and research coordination of the military services' physical fitness and body fat programs.
Closed – Implemented
DOD Directive 1308.2 established the Joint DOD Committee on Fitness as the mechanism for providing policy and research coordination of the military services' fitness programs. The Joint Fitness Program Standards Working Group was established in June 1999. The purpose of that working group is to exchange ideas, address common concerns, benchmark best practices in the services and the private sector, help develop a strategic plan, and help develop proposed policies for DOD fitness programs.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should revise the physical fitness guidance to define the statistical information needed to monitor fitness trends and ensure program effectiveness, and require that this information be maintained by all services and provided in the currently required annual reports.
Closed – Implemented
In November 2002, DOD published a revised version of DOD Instruction 1308.3 (paragraph 7), its physical fitness regulation, that includes specific guidance to the services on what information they need to report to OSD, and what information they need to maintain.
Department of Defense In order to clarify the purpose of the physical fitness program, the Secretary of Defense should revise DOD's regulations to: (1) clearly state that the objective of the physical fitness program is to enhance general fitness and health; and (2) make clear that the program is not intended to address the capability to perform specific jobs or missions.
Closed – Implemented
DOD published a revised version of its physical fitness regulation, Instruction 1308.3, in November 2002. Paragraphs 6.1.1 and 6.1.3.1 state that the overall objective of the DOD physical fitness and body composition program is to enhance general fitness and general health.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should take steps to ensure that all services implement testing in all three areas cited in the regulation--cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and body composition.
Closed – Implemented
DOD published a revised version of its physical fitness regulation, DOD Instruction 1308.3, in November 2002. Paragraphs 4 and 5.4.1 of the revised instruction require that the services test personnel for aerobic capacity, muscular strength and endurance, and body fat at least annually.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should revise the physical fitness guidance to establish clear DOD-wide policy for age- and gender-based adjustments to general fitness and body fat standards, requiring all services to derive them scientifically, clearly document the basis used, and submit exceptions for approval.
Closed – Implemented
DOD published a revised version of its physical fitness regulation, DOD Instruction 1308.3, in November 2002. The revised instruction establishes clear DOD-wide policy for age- and gender-based adjustments to fitness and body fat standards based on current science.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should revise the physical fitness guidance to establish a DOD-wide approach, based on current scientific research, to estimating body fat percentages.
Closed – Implemented
DOD published a revised version of its physical fitness regulation, Instruction 1308.3, in November 2002. The revised DOD Instruction (Paragraph 6.2.1) establishes a DOD-wide single approach to estimating body fat for the purpose of general fitness and health.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should take steps to ensure that the services adhere to the policy requiring physical fitness testing of all servicemembers, regardless of age.
Closed – Implemented
DOD published a revised version of its physical fitness regulation , DOD Instruction 1308.3, in November 2002. The revised Instruction (paragraphs 5.4.1, 6.1.3.2, and 5.4.8) require that the services test military members for fitness, regardless of their age. These baseline generalized fitness test standards may be adjusted for age and gender.
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Topics

National Defense
Medical examinationsMilitary personnelMilitary policiesMilitary trainingPerformance measuresStandardsStandards evaluationWomenMilitary forcesPhysical fitness