The DA Form 5500, officially known as the Body Fat Content Worksheet (Male), is the United States Army's standardized tool for assessing the body fat percentage of male soldiers who exceed weight-for-height screening thresholds under Army Regulation AR 600-9. The proponent agency for this form is the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1.
The body fat assessment applies when a soldier does not meet the weight standards set by AR 600-9 during periodic weigh-ins. A unit administrator or medical officer then records the required measurements on DA Form 5500 to determine the soldier's body fat percentage. Female soldiers use the companion form, DA Form 5501, which adds a hip circumference measurement to the calculation.
The measurement procedure for male soldiers involves two body measurements: the circumference of the neck (measured below the larynx, perpendicular to its long axis) and the circumference of the abdomen (measured at the navel while the soldier stands relaxed). These two values are entered into the Army's circumference value method to derive an estimated body fat percentage.
Army body fat standards under AR 600-9 vary by age group. Male soldiers under age 21 must not exceed 20 percent body fat. Soldiers aged 21 to 27 have a limit of 22 percent, those aged 28 to 39 are allowed up to 24 percent, and soldiers aged 40 and older may not exceed 26 percent. Soldiers who do not meet these thresholds are enrolled in the Army Body Composition Program (ABCP) and are required to reach interim reduction goals.
DA Form 5500 is a two-page worksheet. Once completed, both the preparer and an approving supervisor sign the form. The record is retained in the soldier's personnel file as documentation of body composition compliance efforts and outcomes under AR 600-9.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Form Name | DA Form 5500 |
| Form Length | 2 pages |
| Fillable? | Yes |
| Fillable fields | 1 |
| Avg. time to fill out | 42 sec |
| Other names | army 5500, da form 5500 pdf, da form 5500, fillable da 5500 |