ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —
The Office of the Air Force is developing new System Composition Plan standards for Airmen and Guardians following the stomach circumference was taken out from the Air Power-precise Actual physical Conditioning Assessment in 2020.


Equally the Air and Place Forces unveiled the new Midsection-to-Peak Ratio BCP plan in January, with assessments to commence April 2023. The System Composition Evaluation is a different and distinct measurement that is not portion of the DAF Physical Fitness Assessment.


WHtR measures extra fat distribution in the abdominal area and is calculated by dividing waist circumference by top. Extra extra fat distribution in the stomach region is connected with increased wellbeing danger.


“The purpose of the new software is to empower Airmen to get charge of their health and conditioning as a result of lifestyle enhancement to improve readiness,” said Lt. Gen. Caroline Miller, deputy main of staff members for Manpower, Staff and Providers. “Regardless of which chance category they tumble in, everybody is encouraged to just take gain of the resources out there to improve or maintain a wholesome entire body composition.”


Overall body composition serves as an indicator of a member’s over-all wellbeing and physical readiness. Office of Defense Instruction 1308.03, DoD Physical Health/Human body Composition System, mandates the BCP as a necessity. Surplus body fat in the abdominal location impairs the body’s responsiveness to insulin. As a outcome, it contributes to improved overall health pitfalls such as cardiovascular ailments, stroke, diabetic issues, hypertension and musculoskeletal accidents, negatively impacting actual physical readiness.
The DAF BCP defines the midsection as the midpoint among the most affordable rib and the major of the hip bone, which is commonly the narrowest part of the abdomen. WHtR is expressed in the subsequent possibility categories and connected criteria:


Airmen and Guardians will retain a WHtR of < 0.55 to meet the BCP standards. Airmen will complete their assessments annually around their birth month, while Guardians will complete it within their birth quarter.
There are no mandatory actions for Airmen and Guardians meeting the BCP standards, however, members will have their WHtR reviewed during their annual medical Periodic Health Assessment. They will receive education or a referral based on their risk category and other health concerns if indicated.


Airmen and Guardians identified as not meeting the BCP standards will be enrolled into an informal, self-directed Body Composition Improvement Program for 12 months and referred to their medical treatment facility for a medical evaluation and assessment for additional risk factors.


Guardians will also be referred to Guardian Resilience Teams as they are established. GRTs will be comprised of human performance subject matter experts with different specialties who can provide a broad range of care for Guardians, including preventive care, performance optimization, skill-building, mental health care and spiritual assistance.


“Above all, our priority is to shift our Guardians’ mindset with regards to their health,” said Katharine Kelley, deputy chief of Space Operations for Human Capital. “We hope the new body composition program and associated holistic health educational resources will inspire our members to move away from an episodic fitness mentality to putting their health first every day.”


A collaborative and supportive approach will be used to assist Airmen and Guardians through providing tools, resources, and a tailored action plan to aid in making positive changes toward better health. Airmen and Guardians not meeting the BCP standard will reassess every 12 months at the next scheduled BCA or until they meet the BCP standard.


The initial results from WHtR are non-punitive during the 12-month informal self-directed BCIP. Failing to test on time, not scheduling or missing an appointment with the MTF team or becoming non-current may be cause for commander-driven administrative actions.


High risk results after the 12-month informal self-directed phase will be considered a failure to meet standards and will require enrollment in a formal self-directed BCIP that may result in consideration for administrative action, including separation for continued failures.


WHtR will be tracked via myBodyComp, a new application under the myFSS platform.


Additional information regarding implementation will be released at the installation level.