Athens – The Greek armed forces plan to tighten entry requirements to keep candidates considered too short or plump out of the ranks, the defence ministry said on Friday.
A presidential decree currently submitted to Greece’s Council of State for approval has upped minimum height requirements for professional male and female soldiers, and also sets limits on weight, a ministry spokesperson said.
“The problem is tangible,” the spokesperson said.
“Nobody enjoys the sight of a woman in uniform unable to squeeze through a door.”
The officer declined to go into specifics, as the decree has yet to be approved, but confirmed Greek press reports noting that the intended height limit is 1.7 metres for men and 1.65m for women, up from 1.65m and 1.55m respectively.
The planned revision also establishes a “body mass indicator” calculated on a candidate’s weight and height, in an attempt “to avoid future problems leading to a fall in productivity, and an increase in healthcare costs,” according to excerpts published in the press.
