Bottom line: The 2026 change replaced the old height/weight tables with waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) as the primary screen. Waist (at the navel) ÷ height must be ≤ 0.52. Miss it and you go to a body-fat assessment; fail that and you're enrolled in the Body Composition Program (BCP).
What changed in 2026
MARADMIN 066/26, effective January 1, 2026, made WHtR the primary body-composition screen for all Marines, active and reserve. The Corps set 0.52 — tighter than the 0.55 some services use — to hold a leaner standard.
How the screen works
- Measure your waist at the navel and divide by your height.
- If the ratio is ≤ 0.52, you're within standard.
- If it's over 0.52, a body-fat assessment follows.
- Fail the body-fat assessment and you're placed on the Body Composition Program.
Why standards like this are worth re-checking
Body-composition and fitness standards change through MARADMINs — the figures above are current as of this writing, but the rules move. We keep this answer current and link the source; always confirm against the latest guidance, which we summarize the moment it publishes. (We track the official Body Composition page and the MARADMIN feed so you don't have to.)