Hut, 2, 3, 4, Put down the fork and run out the door

Call it remedial fitness for our country’s fighting troops, if you will. The U.S. Army, which has struggled under the weight of high recruitment goals the past few years, has a new solution in mind to turn plump trainees into powerful fighting machines. Major General Thomas Bostick, head of the Army Recruiting Command, wants to run a formal diet and fitness regimen alongside a new Army Prep School at Fort Jackson, S.C., that helps aspiring troops earn their GEDs before going to basic training, reported Associated Press. The Defense Department notes that over the past four years, more than 47,000 potential recruits failed induction physicals because they were overweight. Though a fraction of the approximate 205,000 exams given in 2005 and 250,000 in 2008, this poses a serious challenge to those charged with making sure soldiers are fit and able to fill their duties and protect lives. In an interview with AP, Bostick said, “It took them 18 years to get to where they are at, so it’s very difficult for them to lose the kind of weight that they need to on their own.” He believes many haven’t learned the importance of a healthy diet and daily exercise, but the regimen he proposes could get them within military limits.

Call it remedial fitness for our country’s fighting troops, if you will.

The U.S. Army, which has struggled under the weight of high recruitment goals the past few years, has a new solution in mind to turn plump trainees into powerful fighting machines.

Major General Thomas Bostick, head of the Army Recruiting Command, wants to run a formal diet and fitness regimen alongside a new Army Prep School at Fort Jackson, S.C., that helps aspiring troops earn their GEDs before going to basic training, reported Associated Press.

The Defense Department notes that over the past four years, more than 47,000 potential recruits failed induction physicals because they were overweight.  Though a fraction of the approximate 205,000 exams given in 2005 and 250,000 in 2008, this poses a serious challenge to those charged with making sure soldiers are fit and able to fill their duties and protect lives.

In an interview with AP, Bostick said, “It took them 18 years to get to where they are at, so it’s very difficult for them to lose the kind of weight that they need to on their own.” He believes many haven’t learned the importance of a healthy diet and daily exercise, but the regimen he proposes could get them within military limits.

SupermarketGuru.com thinks the Major General’s initiative is enlightened, and if established and rolled out, could have far-reaching impact on soldiers’ lives both in service and after they leave. In service, soldiers need to be fit, agile and think clearly to improve their chances of surviving combat situations, and perform well in non-combat tasks. Later in life, maybe these diet and exercise lessons will stick and help keep them sharp for many decades to come.