Too fat to fight?

I just stumbled upon an interesting, if controversial, article released by the Associated Press back in 2005 titled "Are U.S. Troops Too Fat to Fight?" The most ironic part of discovering this article was that I came across it while researching fitness regimens on the Military.com website. Despite the grueling physical and mental training many men and women in the service undergo, our soldiers, on average, carry more body fat than they ever have before.

Does this mean that the U.S. military has gone soft on recruits? It's just the opposite, actually; many recruits have gone soft on the U.S. military. The country, as a whole, is fatter than its ever been, and many new enlistees are going into basic training already carrying too much weight.

According to a related article on Military.com, 20 percent of all male recruits and 40 percent of female recruits are too heavy to enter into the military ranks. As a result, some are failing out for not meeting minimal fitness standards, and others are just barely squeezing by (and, by their own volition, using extreme and dangerous methods to bring about rapid weight loss -- i.e. skipping meals, fasting, taking laxatives, etc.). In turn, recruits who barely make it through boot camp are still called upon to perform the same duties and tasks as their fitter counterparts, though they may not be physically able to keep up.

Clearly, this "growth" problem the military is experiencing has nothing to do with their training methods. Give a go at following the workouts prescribed to these men and women and you'll quickly realize that you're not nearly as fit as your comfortable and pleasant gym workout would lead you to believe. Rather, this "fatter soldier" issue is emblematic of an even bigger problem, one that faces our entire nation. Poor diets, sedentary lifestyles, and comfort technology are to blame for the astonishing obesity rates in youths and teens. The same can certainly be said for adults. And, insofar as the Associated Press article suggests, this "growth" problem has also managed to find a way into our military.

Personally, I feel that everyone who serves should be lauded for their bravery and honor, regardless of whether or not they're somewhat overweight. I realize this wasn't the point being made in the Associated Press article, but I felt it deserved mention just the same. This is a complicated and controversial issue, one that will surely stir up some strong feelings in people. Please feel free to voice your opinions on this matter in the comments section below.