More than one-quarter of America’s young adults are too fat to serve in the U.S. military
February 9th, 2011
- Michelle Obama says many too fat to fight in military
- "Believe it or not, right now, nearly 4% of American males 18-24 years failed basic Army's basic fitness test
of 17- to 24-year-olds are too overweight to serve in our military," she said.
- The report said: "over 27 percent of all Americans 17 to 24 years of age -- over nine million young men and women -- are too heavy to join the military if they want to do so."
- In 2008, there were 11,472,200 Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 who were obese or overweight, the study reported, citing research by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were 29.8 million Americans between those ages, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That equals nearly 39 percent of Americans in that age range who were obese or overweight, an even higher percentage than those found in the "Too Fat to Fight" study who couldn’t serve in the military.
- Military officials say this is serious business. "The United States military stands ready to protect the American people, but if our nation does not help ensure that future generations grow up to be healthy and fit ... the health of our children and our national security are at risk," the report says.
- The military discharges about 1,200 recruits a year because they are not fit enough to serve. The military estimates it costs $50,000 to recruit and train a soldier. Add it up and that’s $60 million a year the federal government loses on enlistees too heavy to fight.
The average American man is 5 foot 9 and weighs 195 pounds, according to the CDC. The average American woman is nearly 5 foot 4 and weighs 165 pounds.
Army - An 18-year-old, 5-foot-9 man who weighs more than 175 pounds would raise eyebrows for the Army, according to Military.com. The Army would be similarly concerned about a 5-foot-4, 18-year-old woman who weighs more than 133 pounds.
Navy - considers a 5-foot-9 man greater than 186 pounds overweight, and its maximum standard weight for a 5-foot-4 woman is 156 pounds.
Air Force - the maximum weight for a 5-foot-9 recruit is 186 pounds.
- One U.S. Army general said 4 percent of male recruits at one training center in 2000 failed the most basic fitness. By 2006, more than 20 percent of male recruits failed the same test. The percentages were higher for women.
PolitiFact Georgia | Michelle Obama says many too fat to fight in military
but..but...thats different they were Republicans, see? 
