Is America's "chair force" too fat to fight? The military's got "big" problems… Other than that 300 billion dollar quagmire they're currently mired in over in Baghdad. No, I'm talking about the growing problem civilians in America are battling by the million. Of course, I mean OBESITY. A recent story from one of the major newswire services reveals that weight problems plague all branches of the U.S. military - so much so that at least one high-ranking armed forces nutritionist wonders if we could even field an effective army in a few more years without relaxing the already-lax weight standards. In fact, fat fighting men and women have become a running joke: The Air Force has become known in some military circles as the "Chair Force" because the largely sedentary nature of its infantry-less force tends to attract the fatties… All kidding aside, the statistics here are sobering. According to the aforementioned nutritionist's report:
The average U.S. soldier today weighs 37 pounds more than his counterpart during the Civil War - approximately 25% heftier.
18% of men and 43% of women of recruiting age are too fat to be eligible for military service of any type, in any branch.
3,000 troops were discharged in 2003 alone because of excess weight - and thousands of others have been put on notice to lose weight or lose their commissions.
33% of male troops and 50% of female troops with weight issues have tried unsafe appetite suppressants to shed pounds - 1 out of 5 had used laxatives, and 11% of women and 6% of men had tried vomiting!
Ironically, in the wake of World War 2, the U.S. government passed the school lunch program to help boost the weight of green recruits. Not long after, the disastrous Food Pyramid came on the scene. And now, we're reaping exactly what we've sown. The really unfortunate thing about all of this, though, is that we're far more likely to change the standards to accommodate fat, out-of-shape, unsuitable-for-fighting recruits (especially if women are allowed to fight in front-line combat) than we are to maintain the standards that have made our fighting force among the world's best… Like terrorism, Islamic fanaticism, illegal immigration, and so many other things these days, it's just one more factor that's making us weaker as a nation. **************************************************** U.S. cops aren't the only ones hooked on doughnuts Don't bristle, all you ex-cops reading this: We all know there's more than a little truth to the old cliché about cops and doughnuts… But apparently, this isn't limited to the good ol' U.S. of A. anymore. According to a recent news item I read on Yahoo.com, fully 50% of the police force in Bangkok, Thailand suffers from health problems caused by carrying around excess weight. To help correct the problem, 85 of these officers have been enrolled in a crash 4-week weight-loss program. Those that don't trim their waistlines must transfer to low-visibility desk jobs. According to the article, this is in part because of their compromised abilities in the field, and partly because of an image problem: Bangkok officers' standard issue duty uniform is designed to accentuate a slim, tight waistline. It simply ISN'T MADE in sizes over a 40" waist. What's really ironic about the story is that the diet regimen these portly patrolmen face at their month-long "fat farm" is comprised entirely of grains and vegetables - the very same foods that have made our population (and our fighting force, apparently) among the fattest on Earth. Oh well, I hope the Bangkok P.D. can afford some desks - they're going to need them. Fighting for our standards and standing for our fighters, William Campbell Douglass II, MD | 
