LEARNING OUTCOME: To examine readiness of beneficiaries who attended weight management counseling at military installations and determine if changes in counseling and educational materials is warranted.One role of a military dietitian is to assist military members in obtaining and maintaining desirable body weight. Military members and significant others are referred to Nutritional Medicine Service for an initial instruction (commonly group education) on how to limit calorie intake and quarterly follow-up appointments. The education has mainly focused on how to change with the assumption that individuals were ready to change. In an effort to investigate and improve the quality of the education and the outcome measures (BMI and/or bodyfat change), a long range study starting with readiness to change was undertaken. To determine the effectiveness of the current approach, the Diet Readiness Test was completed and evaluated according to instructions for 795 clients (596 active duty) referred for weight reduction diets at 19 military installations worldwide. Demographics and scores for each of the six sections (goals and attitudes, hunger and eating cues, control over eating, weight control habits, emotional eating, exercise patterns and attitudes) were collected. Five hundred eleven (64%) were referred based on military fitness programs, 142 (18%) and 141 (18%) were voluntary or physician directed, respectively. Fifty-six percent were less than completely ready to begin a weight loss plan and only 33% were ready to begin an exercise program. Evaluation of the results led to the conclusion that two sections (Section 1, Goals and Attitudes, and Section 6, Exercise Patterns and Attitudes) were particularly useful and would continue to be administered as part of the referral process. These results justify the development of educational sessions targeted at increasing diet readiness. Individuals with low diet readiness scores will then attend these sessions as part of the referral process. Additional research is needed to determine if improved readiness scores are correlated with improved outcome measures.