Pentagon Imposes 0.55 Waist-to-Height Rule for Troops at White House UFC Event
Updated
Updated · NBC News · May 29
Pentagon Imposes 0.55 Waist-to-Height Rule for Troops at White House UFC Event
6 articles · Updated · NBC News · May 29
A Pentagon memo sent this week says troops seeking tickets to next month’s White House UFC event must have a waist-to-height ratio below 0.55 and meet all service fitness-test standards.
The memo casts the June 14 South Lawn fight as a “high visibility” event, signaling organizers want a tightly managed audience image for Trump’s America 250 celebration.
Commands worldwide can request tickets, but service members must pay their own travel costs, wear short-sleeve uniforms with regalia and headgear, and stand outdoors in an uncovered area.
Ticket distribution is supposed to be “fair and transparent,” yet the memo says seats should go to genuine UFC fans rather than senior distinguished visitors as demand outstrips supply.
The event is expected to draw more than 4,000 spectators on Trump’s 80th birthday, with discussions still underway over whether attending troops would be treated as “deployed.”
Why must soldiers pay their own way to attend the White House UFC event in their official dress uniforms?
Does a $30M corporate-funded fight on the South Lawn set a new precedent for using the White House?
How will fighter safety be guaranteed at an outdoor event that is bypassing local regulatory commissions?