E Civilian Inquiry Letter and Table of Responses
A sample letter of inquiry that was sent to civilian service organization follows, along with the table of responses from law enforcement and firefighting organizations. The responses are summarized in Chapter 3 of the report.
INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
2101 CONSTITUTION AVENUE, N.W. WASHINGTON, DC 20418
FOOD AND NUTRITION BOARD
COMMITTEE ON BODY COMPOSITION, NUTRITION, AND HEALTH OF MILITARY WOMEN
(202) 334-1737 FAX (202) 334-2316
June 9, 1997
The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences/Institute of Medicine has a contract with the U.S. Army to provide a set of recommendations regarding the following: body weight standards for active-duty military women, physical fitness standards for military women, and policies regarding weight loss and resumption of physical fitness testing after pregnancy. In formulating these recommendations, we are trying to compile a representative sample of comparable standards for women in other physically-active types of uniformed service such as police forces, firefighting services, emergency medical service, Secret Service, forestry service, and overseas military organizations. We would be extremely grateful if you would be willing to share information with us regarding whether your service maintains any of the types of standards or enforces any of the types of policies described. If you represent a number of services, please consider the range of policies you have observed.
Specifically, we would like you to consider the following questions:
I. Weight/Height Standards
Does you service require applicants or those currently employed to adhere to weight/height requirements or other body composition requirements?
If so, what are they? Are they age-specific? gender-specific?
If you know of a source or reference for your standards, what is it? Is your policy a written (formal) one?
If you measure body composition (body fat) in a way other than by weight and height (body mass index), what method do you use? Who does that measurement? (a fitness specialist? nurse? other?)
How often are current employees required to be weighed or measured?
If an employee is found to be over the standard for weight or fat, what is the procedure? (formal program? informal program? nutrition counseling? how long before reweighing? consequences?)
Does your service provide a nutrition education program of any type?
II. Physical Fitness Standards
Does your service require applicants and/or current employees to pass a physical fitness test?
If so, what are the components of the test; what constitutes "passing" (is it different according to gender or age or job description)?
How often must the test be taken by current employees?
If there is a source for your physical fitness test, what is it?
Is your policy regarding fitness testing a written one?
If an employee fails the test, what is the procedure? (How long does she/he have before being allowed/required to take it again? Is there a penalty for failing?)
III. Pregnancy Standards
Does your service have a formal policy regarding pregnant employees?
If so, what duty restrictions are imposed and at what stage of pregnancy? (Is there a consequence in terms of salary or promotion potential?)
Are pregnant employees waived from fitness requirements?
If your service has weight or fitness standards, how long are women given after delivery to return to compliance with weight and fitness standards? to return to full duty?
IV. Demographics
What percentage of your employees are women (if this is a service organization, about what percentage of your members or the employees in your area are women) and what is the size of your staff?
What is the average age of the women on your staff?
We realize that we have asked many questions, but this information is extremely valuable and crucial to us as it will help shape our response to the Army's request. Hence, your willingness to respond will help to influence policy for all the military. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions or pass the questionnaire along to those in your service who might be able to supply the answers. Or, if you believe there is another service or organization that would be able to supply us with more useful information, please forward the letter to them. You may fax your responses to us at the above fax number, email them to sydne@nas.edu, or if we do not hear from you, we will follow up with a call in a week. Thank you very much!
Sincerely,
Sydne Jennifer Newberry, Ph.D.
Program Officer
TABLE E-1 Body Composition, Fitness, and Task Performance Assessment among Civilian Law Enforcement and Fire Services
|
Recruitment Assessments |
|
Retention Assessments |
|
|
||
|
Body Composition |
Fitness |
Task Performance |
Body Composition* |
Fitness |
Task Performance |
Regular Training Requirement |
Law enforcement |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alexandria, VA |
|
No |
? |
No |
N/A |
||
Arlington Cty, VA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dade Cty, FL |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
N/A |
Fairfax Cty, VA |
No |
|
|
No |
|
|
N/A |
Illinois, State of |
? |
? |
? |
|
|
|
N/A |
Maryland, State of (training ctr) |
No |
? |
No |
? |
N/A |
||
Montgomery Cty, MD |
No |
|
No |
No |
No |
N/A |
|
Ontario, Canada |
|
|
No |
No |
No |
No |
N/A |
RCMP |
|
|
|
|
|
|
N/A |
Washington, DC |
|
|
|
|
No |
No |
N/A |
U.S. National Park Service |
|
No (under revision) |
|
No |
N/A |
||
U.S. FBI |
|
|
No |
No |
No |
N/A |
|
U.S. Marshalls |
No |
|
No |
No |
|
No |
Yes |
This page in the original is blank. |