The Army's 2023 one-site tape method (ABCP) — enter sex, age, weight, and your abdominal circumference at the navel to estimate body fat and check it against the AR 600-9 standard for your age.
In June 2023 the Army replaced its old multi-site tape test (neck and waist for men; neck, waist, and hips for women) with a single measurement: abdominal circumference at the navel, combined with bodyweight, sex, and age. After a 12-month transition, the one-site method became the sole authorized circumference-based test in 2024. This calculator uses the published ABCP one-site equations; height is not part of the one-site calculation.
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 17 – 20 | 20% | 30% |
| 21 – 27 | 22% | 32% |
| 28 – 39 | 24% | 34% |
| 40+ | 26% | 36% |
These are the retention standards for serving soldiers (AR 600-9, Table B-2). Note that accession standards for joining the Army are more lenient (24/26/28/30% for men by the same age brackets).
Under Army Directive 2023-08, a soldier who scores 540 or higher on the record fitness test with at least 80 points in every event is exempt from the tape test entirely. That's a demanding standard — check where you stand with our AFT Calculator (or the legacy ACFT Calculator). Alternate cardio events don't count toward the exemption.
Body fat comes down to energy balance and training, not tape tricks. Set a calorie target with our TDEE Calculator, anchor protein with the Protein Intake Calculator, and preserve muscle with resistance training as you cut. If the one-site tape test fails you but you carry real muscle, you can request a supplemental assessment (DXA, InBody 770, or Bod Pod) through your command — these measure body composition directly and often clear lean, muscular soldiers the tape flags. Compare your fat-free mass with our Lean Body Mass Calculator and Body Fat Calculator.
No. The 2023 one-site method uses only sex, age, weight, and abdominal circumference at the navel. The old multi-site test used height plus neck and waist (and hips for women), but that method is no longer the authorized circumference test.
Horizontally at the level of your navel, with the tape parallel to the floor all the way around. Stand relaxed, don't suck in or push out, and measure on a normal exhale. Take at least two readings and average the two closest.
Request a supplemental body fat assessment through your commander — DXA, InBody 770, or Bod Pod. These measure composition directly rather than estimating from a tape, and passing one removes the administrative flag. A very high fitness score (540+/80 each) also exempts you entirely.
It implements the published ABCP one-site equations and the AR 600-9 standards, and it's accurate for planning and self-checks. Your official record measurement is done by your unit using the Army's own ABCP calculator — always defer to that for compliance decisions.
Official scoring tables for every branch — free, no signup: