Narrative vs. Descriptive a Paragraph

Narrative vs. Descriptive

A paragraph in narrative about a problem at work:

I was a government contractor in Iraq on the LOGCAP IV Project. One requirement on the project was that you have to be within 39.9% Body Mass Index (BMI). I am 6'3" tall and weight 300 pounds and my BMI is 36.9% and I am in good physical condition. Now take someone that is 6'0" tall and weighs 295 pounds who has a BMI of 40% and is also in good physical condition. I don't feel that 3 inches in height should be the determining factor for someone that performs their duties to the highest level with no administrative problems to lose their job.

Descriptive version of the narrative:

As a government contractor working in a war zone in Iraq -- on the LOGCAPIV project -- I am held accountable for the movement of needed supplies. It is an important job and there is a good deal of responsibility attached to the position. I am on the Mission Control Team (MCT) and in order to be a member of this project working in Iraq an employee must meet certain physical criteria and health standards. I have been perfectly happy to submit to these requirements. Within the requirements regarding qualifications for employment each worker must take a drug test and a physical examination. The drug test involves giving a blood sample to screen for drugs.

There is also a blood pressure check, and in order to be qualified to work in Iraq for this private contractor a person's blood pressure cannot exceed 140/90. Moreover a person's Body Mass Index (BMI) has to be under 40%; this is because there are physical challenges that are related to war zone employment and the company doesn't want people out in the field that are not physically able to be there. The utilitarian reasoning for this BMI requirement is that a healthy person that is physically fit helps create a safe working environment in Iraq, and also there are standards that the U.S. Government sets for contractors working in Iraq, and meeting those standards is imperative for the contractors.

It should be noted that every employee with this contractor has voluntarily agreed to meet the company's requirements, including myself. But looking at the requirements from a deontological reasoning point-of-view, I don't think the requirements reflect a fair and true assessment of the working and living conditions that each employee has to deal with daily here in Iraq. This is a dangerous place, and being physically competent is vital because when a person puts in 12-hour shifts 7 days a week -- that adds up to an 84-hour work week -- it is very tough. Being apart from one's family and friends for up to six months at a time takes a toll on a person's physical and emotional condition.

The culture shock is huge, especially when a mortar or rocket attack hits the base near where you are working. Dealing with this culture shock brings a lot of stress, and the natural instinct is to find things that help the person cope with the stressors. Some individuals start smoking, some work out to deal with the stress and others play video games or snack on unhealthy food. Others engage in eating habits that result in weight game, which in turn results in high blood pressure. Many people working here on the government contract are forced to return to the States because the stress on their physical and emotional health has caused them to fail to meet the company's rigid physical requirements.