What does a Naval Officer look like?
Would these men cut it if selection was based on looks?
The Navy Times‘ front page declares this week that “3 out of 4 officers have failed to follow a new Navy regulation” and asks “Are they insubordinate, just plain lazy or hiding something?”
The article regards the new required service record photographs. This means that promotion boards now get to see what individuals look like before ranking them for screening, whether that be for command, special programs, or just plain promotion.
I’m no expert on such boards, but count me skeptical. I’m already convinced that the body fat standard is based upon the wanting to have good-looking thin people, a policy which I’ve already seen kick good big people who kick rear-end on the PRT far better than their peers.
Secondly (as pointed out here), who’s to say that the photos can’t be edited? I highly doubt that there are experts checking the photos for editing, especially considering that they’re submitted via snail mail and not digitally. Really, it’s not that hard, and people are bound to violate integrity standards for a promotion. Sorry, that’s just the way it is.
Finally and most importantly, good people who don’t necessarily look good will suffer. That doesn’t just go for obesity or race.
Regardless, I followed my orders and had the picture done anyway, but this is a reversal of a reversal, meaning it could be re-reversed again.
Other blogs taking note:
The Yankee Sailor
GunThing Forum