Yeah, when I was in, there were only three people in “my” company who we considered fat: The 1st Sargeant who was 38 and therefore naturally a little heavier than the rest of us, and one E-4 and the XO, neither of whom was more than about 10% overweight (but of course us young guys thought they were blimps). Truly obese soldiers just weren’t a serious problem for the Army in those days, imo. Are they now? Is it really that bad? The guys I see on tv who are in Iraq and Afghanistan right now... I haven’t seen any fat ones... What is Moochelle on about?
That’s about the size of it. In the Navy, all it took was a Page 13 entry, and you were warned. Get thin, or get out. One guy I knew at CNFJ was a real porker until the Admiral took a personal interest. A year later he was running half marathons.
The Army has been pushing its “fueling the soldier” initiative for some time. Many potential recruits are too heavy to join. Modern American family life has taught eating habits to many kids which simply are not compatible with military life, and lifelong habits of bad eating can continue to cause problems even after people enlist.
The logical guess is Michelle Obama is jumping on a bandwagon that started moving long before she got on it. However, Michelle Obama’s interest in military families appears to be real. She and her husband were exposed in their Iowa campaign in 2007-08 to rural America, including lots of military families, perhaps for the first time. My read of the situation is that between the Iowa campaign and Michelle Obama’s work with Joe Biden, she has gotten interested in military families. I don't have any way of assessing her motives, but supporting the troops is good politics.
Even broken clocks are right twice a day, and if the wife of the Democratic president of the United States wants to work with the Vice President to try to make life better for military families, hey, let's take what we can get.
11 posted on Friday, February 10, 2012 2:36:10 AM by LibWhacker: “Yeah, when I was in, there were only three people in “my” company who we considered fat: The 1st Sargeant who was 38 and therefore naturally a little heavier than the rest of us, and one E-4 and the XO, neither of whom was more than about 10% overweight (but of course us young guys thought they were blimps). Truly obese soldiers just weren’t a serious problem for the Army in those days, imo. Are they now? Is it really that bad? The guys I see on tv who are in Iraq and Afghanistan right now... I haven’t seen any fat ones... What is Moochelle on about?”
I think maybe she be talkin ‘bout welfare mamas too fat to sign up for the army, so they can shop in the PX and stuff, whut?
“fat soldiers” is the signature policy cause of michelle obama???? wtf.
BTW, after 3 years of vacations round the world, is there a single picture anywhere of her children or her husband eating a green vegetable?