Posted on 04/12/2023 7:33:32 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Obesity is the single greatest barrier to recruitment in the American military today, and the problem is only getting worse.
The Associated Press reported last week nearly 10,000 active-duty Army servicemembers emerged from the coronavirus lockdowns obese, “pushing the rate to nearly a quarter of the troops studied.” Major weight gains were also seen in the Navy and Marines.
A pamphlet from the American Security Project (ASP) published last month raised the alarm over the nation’s runaway obesity epidemic jeopardizing national security. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 42 percent of the U.S. adult population was obese in 2017. Harvard researchers expect nearly half the adult population to become obese by the end of the decade.
“If trends in overweight and obesity continue, especially amongst the populations which are or soon will be within military service age,” the ASP literature read, “the military may no longer be able to recruit enough personnel to fulfill its national security obligations.”
Federal research shows excessive weight is already bearing down heavy costs on the American military, with more than 650,000 workdays lost each year from the extra pounds. The Department of Defense spends about $1.5 billion in obesity-related health-care costs each year for current and former servicemembers and their families.
[LISTEN: America’s Health Crisis Is Jeopardizing National Security]
While the nation’s incumbent fighting force packs on the pounds, fresh recruits in prime shape have become hard to come by. Less than 30 percent of Americans aged 17-24, which account for 90 percent of military applicants, are eligible to serve in the armed forces, according to the CDC.
The Army missed its recruitment goals for the first time last year with a 15,000-member shortfall. The next generation of recruits is entering adulthood no healthier, with 1 in 5 American children categorically obese. Childhood obesity has become such an emergency that doctors are now recommending a cocktail of pharmaceuticals and invasive surgeries as a last resort to combat the epidemic.
Military bases, meanwhile, are continuing to subsidize unhealthy lifestyles. In February, Army Major Nolan Johnson outlined “Why the Army can’t get in shape” for ArmyTimes. In short, the answer lies in “Dip, Doritos and drinking.”
“On every base, [the] Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) offers tobacco at state minimum prices, deals on candy bars, and alcohol without tax,” Johnson wrote. “Soldiers can either embrace these cheap, unhealthy options or take a 30-minute trip off-post to find healthy options that cost a premium.”
“The results are obvious,” Johnson added. “For a force pressed on time and money, 2-for-1 Monster energy drinks, discounted hot dogs, and chewing tobacco are the regular lunch plan.”
I heard they already have a plan though. They are going to form Romeo Echo Mike Foxtrot platoons for the fat guyz.
I have been noticing weight gains on the military installation I frequent. When I see these folks I tell my wife that the weight standards must have changed. But this was occurring before covid lockdowns.
Doesn’t Big Pharma have new magic drugs to burn off the fat and reduce the weight. Oh yeah, gotta have mRNA in everything new of course.
Warrior types tend to be physical and athletic, more likely to desire to be fit, and to have activities that contribute to fitness, sports, camping, backpacking, climbing, wrestling, and grappling, just doing things, mixing things up and constantly competing, even when drinking and partying they are moving around, going at each other, doing things.
The non-warrior types and women are more likely to be inactive except for the minimum that is required by the rules.
If you eat as much as you were prior to doing daily pt and pt gets cut off........
I’m starting to think the US Dept of Defense is really just a massive, bloated, bureaucratic jobs program - like your local department of motor vehicles (but with nukes)
And those lockdowns did absolutely nothing to lower the curve. Just part of a grand coup to get Trump out of the Whitehouse.
The last time it wasn’t a bloated behemoth was 1940.
“Well, he told me I swallow a lot of aggression... along with a lot of pizzas!”
This is a no-brainer issue. Lots of guys and gals need to drop weight before enlistment because military have done studies about which recruits are best suited to complete basic training successfully. Furthermore, while serving, lots of soldiers guys and gals are borderline on height/weight because they are bigger stature people and their job doesn’t necessarily require a lot of physical exercise or movement each day. Lock these types of on the borderline height/weight standard soldiers down for months....I promise you there going to put on weight. It’s really a non-issue. Put them back on a PT regimen something they must do each day, until they reach a set goal, and that weight will drop off. I saw this a lot in the 90’s when guys wanted to re-enlist, they often times needed to drop weight in order to get their paperwork approved. No big deal.
They will slim down fine after they get their new McBug sandwiches..
The Pfentagon
Easy to understand...I always cherished my visits to the mess hall at Fort Knox,Fort Meade...
I gained 20 lbs during covid . I have not been able to take it off. The matter grieves me
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