Back in 1946, the original National School Lunch Act was passed in part with prodding from the military. Many American men, especially those who had grown up during the Depression, simply weren’t well-fed enough to fight. As a result of their stunted growth, soldiers who served in World War II were on average more than an inch-and-a-half shorter than young men serving in Afghanistan today.
The problem tied for the first time the seemingly unrelated policy arenas of national security and nutrition. That link has largely been lost to history textbooks. But now, more than three generations later, it is resurfacing in Washington this year with an ironic twist: More than a quarter of recruitment-age Americans are today “too fat to fight.”
So concludes a bluntly titled report that has been cited by legislators working this spring to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act. The bill would tighten nutritional standards on school meals and push much of the junk food out of the cafeterias and vending machines where many children get the bulk of their daily diet.
[…]
The report examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and found that 27 percent of young adults aged 17-24 — at least 9 million Americans — are today too overweight to join the military.
Only the minority that actually has to go house-to-house needs to be super fit. Those who act as gunners in helicopter gunships and who fly the drones from Creech AFB in Nevada will only become a problem when they’re to heavy for the helicopter to lift or too wide to fit in a drone controller’s chair. And that won’t happen because both the Army and USAF have fitness requirements and weight standards for those already in and the inevitable continuing economic decline of the US will provide sufficient recruits for empire management.
Imagine the screaming and chest-beating of the leftists in a draft was implemented.
It would, obviously, be considered Un-American.
I would love to see it. Whatever happened to Baramabama’s “service” crap and his militant youth?
Perhaps he could reform them into Enviro-Nazis and have them make sure I am recycling my cottage cheese containers.
Yet another excuse for nanny-state.
Govt. does not have Constitutional right to regulate what anyone eats. “It is for the children”, “it is for the national security” – the most abused excuses to infringe on personal rights.
It is not for the children or security. It is for Govt. to have more power and control. Enough of that.
One little note: the sign in the background seems to be printed in Cyrillic, the alphabet that Russians and several other Eastern countries use. So in the interest of “transparency”–is that a fat Russian?
1st, the picture is not of an American solder, look at the uniform!!!
2nd, # 2 What, “imagine the screaming and chest-beating”; I certainly can “imagine the screaming and chest-beating” of George Bush and Dick Cheney!!!
Subby: “To” Fat To Fight??? Why not use the proper # of o’s?
“To Fat; To Fight?” I assume Uncle Dave knows how to spell and is pulling something sublime and symbolic here. I’ll be back when I figure it out.
We should consider creating a new division in the military called Strategic Units Mobilizing Obesity, or SUMO for short. These would be soldiers highly trained in hand-to-hand combat who are able to use their weight to their advantage, pinning enemy combatants to the ground.
# 4 gypkap said, “…is that a fat Russian?”
Not sure. Definitely not a US uniform. I think it might be Turkish though the soldier certainly doesn’t look like a Turk.
In any case, I think potential recruits that don’t quite measure up (or exceed the appropriate measurements) ought not to be excluded until after basic training. Seems to me I was a bit chubby going in but after a few weeks at Fort Ord, I was slim and fit as a minor god!
Those that still do not meet combat standards can be considered for those military careers that don’t demand good combat skills. Like UAV pilots, supply clerks or generals…
#4,5,9: Couldn’t find any pictures of fat US soldiers. Press control and all that. Plus, the issue is too fat to enlist, not once they get in.
#6,7: No, just toooooo lazy to press the o key one more time.
Doesn’t anybody find it a bit disturbing, that the current theme being pushed as far as obesity, has to do with military qualifications?
The first lady, even gave that reason as a primary concern, awhile back.
Forget concerns about the general populations health and quality of life, No the PTB are concerned about cannon fodder availability.
It’s Dewey Oxberger!
The wars are a joke – Chow down.
#12. The first thing I thought of also…..
Recruit. Exercise them. Limit the calories. They will lose weight.
this guy is really very fat.
i am not sure, how he can lift his tummy and run.
ha ha ha… 🙂
I assumed This guy weight is above 150 kg.. how can run this guy.. amazing. if he is run and catch one thief That one is world record…
First of all he is not an American police..look at the uniform he’s is wearing..
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