Obese Children a National Security Threat?

“And from military leaders who tell us that when more than one in four young people are unqualified for military service because of their weight, childhood obesity isn’t just a public health threat, it’s not just an economic threat, it’s a national security threat as well. These folks come at this issue from all different angles. But they’ve come together to support this bill because they know that it’s the right thing to do for our kids. And they know that in the long run, it won’t just save money, it will save lives.”

“We can all agree that here in the wealthiest nation on earth, all children should have the basic nutrition they need to learn and grow and pursue their dreams. Because in the end, nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our children, ... and our hopes for their future should drive every decision we make. These are the basic values that we all share. They’re the values that this bill embodies. And that’s why we’ve seen such a groundswell of support for these efforts — not just from members of Congress here in Washington but from folks in every corner of the country.

“From educators working to provide healthier school meals, because they know the connection between proper nutrition and academic performance. From doctors and nurses who know that unhealthy kids grow into unhealthy adults — at risk for obesity-related diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. From business and labor leaders who know that we spend nearly $150 billion a year to treat these diseases and worry about the impact on our economy. From advocates and faith leaders who know that school meals are vital for combating child hunger, feeding more than 31 million children a day.

“And from military leaders who tell us that when more than one in four young people are unqualified for military service because of their weight, childhood obesity isn’t just a public health threat, it’s not just an economic threat, it’s a national security threat as well. These folks come at this issue from all different angles. But they’ve come together to support this bill because they know that it’s the right thing to do for our kids. And they know that in the long run, it won’t just save money, it will save lives.”

A Message from America’s Retired Generals, Admirals and Civilian Military Leaders:

As retired Generals, Admirals, and other senior leaders of the United States Armed Forces, we know firsthand that national security must be America’s top priority.

Our organization recently released a report citing Department of Defense data indicating that an alarming 75 percent of all young Americans 17 to 24 years of age are unable to join the military because they failed to graduate from high school, have criminal records, or are physically unfit.

Being overweight or obese turns out to be the leading medical reason why applicants fail to qualify for military service. Today, otherwise excellent recruit prospects, some of them with generations of sterling military service in their family history, are being turned away because they are just too overweight.

We have witnessed countless acts of bravery and courage during our time in the Armed Forces. We are deeply proud of the talent and commitment of the young men and women in uniform. Our standards are high because we clearly cannot have people in our command who are not up to the job. Too many lives depend on it.

Executive Advisory Council
General John M. Shalikashvili, US Army (Ret.) General Henry “Hugh” Shelton, US Army (Ret.) General Walter E. Boomer, US Marine Corps (Ret.) General Wesley Clark, US Army (Ret.)
General Richard E. Hawley, US Air Force (Ret.) General Lester L. Lyles, US Air Force (Ret.) General Gregory S. “Speedy” Martin, US Air Force (Ret.) General Johnnie E. Wilson, US Army (Ret.) Admiral Leon A. “Bud” Edney, US Navy (Ret.) Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani, Jr., US Navy (Ret.)
Admiral Thomas B. Hayward, US Navy (Ret.) Lieutenant General Joe N. Ballard, US Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General Dennis L. Benchoff, US Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General John B. Blount, US Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General William J. Bolt, US Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General Robert G. Gard, Jr., US Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General Arthur J. Gregg, US Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General Jerome B. Hilmes, US Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General Donald L. Kerrick, US Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General Carol A. Mutter, US Marine Corps (Ret.) Lieutenant General David H. Ohle, US Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General John P. Otjen, US Army (Ret.)
Retired Military Leaders Want Junk Food Out of America’s Schools
Lieutenant General Garry L. Parks, US Marine Corps (Ret.) Lieutenant General Ricardo S. Sanchez, US Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General Norman R. Seip, US Air Force (Ret.) Lieutenant General William P. Tangney, US Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General Ronald L. Watts, US Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General Joseph H. Wehrle, US Air Force (Ret.) Lieutenant General Robert J. Winglass, US Marine Corps (Ret.) Vice Admiral Donald Arthur, US Navy (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Edward H. Martin, US Navy (Ret.) Vice Admiral James A. Zimble, US Navy (Ret.) Major General Earl L. Adams, US Army (Ret.) Major General James B. Allen, Jr., US Army (Ret.) Major General Keith D. Bjerke, US Air Force (Ret.) Major General Buford “Buff” Blount, US Army (Ret.) Major General Roger R. Blunt, US Army (Ret.) Major General Larry D. Budge, US Army (Ret.) Major General William F. Burns, US Army (Ret.) Major General George A. Buskirk, Jr., US Army (Ret.) Major General Jack J. Catton, Jr., US Air Force (Ret.) Major General Carroll D. Childers, US Army (Ret.) Major General George F. Close, Jr., US Army (Ret.) Major General James W. Comstock, US Army (Ret.) Major General Wesley E. Craig, US Army (Ret.) Major General John T. Crowe, US Army (Ret.)
Major General Nelson E. Durgin, US Air Force (Ret.) Major General Paul D. Eaton, US Army (Ret.) Major General Frank R. Faykes, US Air Force (Ret.) Major General John T. Furlow, US Army (Ret.) Major General James H. Garner, US Army (Ret.) Major General Peter J. Gravett, US Army (Ret.) Major General Gerald Harman, US Army National Guard (Ret.) Major General George H. Harmeyer, US Army (Ret.)
Major General Ralph L. Haynes, US Army (Ret.) Major General Donald R. Infante, US Army (Ret.) Major General Jerome Johnson, US Army (Ret.) Major General James A. Kelley, US Army (Ret.) Major General James R. Klugh, US Army (Ret.) Major General John W. Libby, US Army (Ret.) Major General James H. Lipscomb, US Army (Ret.) Major General William J. Lutz, US Air Force (Ret.) Major General Lester Martinez-Lopez, US Army (Ret.) Major General Paul E. Mock, US Army (Ret.)
Major General Paul D. Monroe, Jr., US Army (Ret.) Major General Stephen E. Nichols, US Army (Ret.) Major General George W. “Nordie” Norwood, US Air Force (Ret.) Major General Daniel J. O’Neill, US Army (Ret.) Major General Joseph F. Perugino, US Army (Ret.) Major General Walter F. Pudlowski, Jr., US Army (Ret.) Major General James I. “Ike” Pylant, US Army (Ret.) Major General John A. Renner, US Army (Ret.) Major General Henry D. Robertson, US Marine Corps (Ret.) Major General William H. Russ, US Army (Ret.) Major General Roger W. Sandler, US Army (Ret.) Major General George J. Smith, US Army (Ret.) Major General Carroll L. Thackston, US Army (Ret.) Major General Thomas J. Thorne, US Army (Ret.) Major General Paul E. Vallely, US Army (Ret.) Major General Richard O. Wightman, Jr., US Army (Ret.) Rear Admiral James A. Barnett, US Navy (Ret.) Rear Admiral Robert E. Besal, US Navy (Ret.) Rear Admiral Walter H. Cantrell, US Navy (Ret.) Rear Admiral James J. Carey, US Navy (Ret.)Rear Admiral Roland G. Guibault, US Navy (Ret.) Rear Admiral John G. Hekman, US Navy (Ret.) Rear Admiral Edward K. Kristensen, US Navy (Ret.) Rear Admiral James E. McPherson, US Navy (Ret.) Rear Admiral Stuart F. Platt, US Navy (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Joseph A. “Joe” Sestak, Jr., US Navy (Ret.) Rear Admiral Alan M. Steinman, US Coast Guard (Ret.) Rear Admiral Robert Sutton, US Navy (Ret.) Brigadier General Clara L. Adams-Ender, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Sherian G. Cadoria, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Robert G. Carmichael, Jr., US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General George N. Clark, Jr., US Air Force (Ret.) Brigadier General Julia J. Cleckley, US Army (Ret.)
Brigadier General Augustus L. Collins, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General James P. Combs, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General John W. Douglass, US Air Force (Ret.) Brigadier General Michael A. Dunn, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Charles K. Ebner, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General John L. Finan, US Air Force (Ret.) Brigadier General Evelyn “Pat” Foote, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Robert E. Gaylord, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Lawrence E. Gillespie, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Larry E. Gilman, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Larry W. Haltom, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General David Hicks, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Keith H. Kerr, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Donald H. Marden, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General David L. McGinnis, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Marvin E. Mitchiner, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Gary M. Profit, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Velma L. “Von” Richardson, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General James H. Schwitters, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Roger L. Shields, US Army (Ret.)
Brigadier General David A. Sprenkle, US Air Force (Ret.) Brigadier General Preston Taylor, US Air Force (Ret.) Brigadier General William T. Thielemann, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Terry J. Tyler, US Army (Ret.)
Brigadier General Ted Vander Els, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Augustine A. Verrengia, US Air Force (Ret.) Brigadier General John M. Watkins, US Army (Ret.) Brigadier General Jack Yeager, US Army (Ret.)
Enlisted Leadership
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Frederick J. Finch (Ret.) Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy James L. Herdt (Ret.) Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps John L. Estrada (Ret.) Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Alford L. McMichael (Ret.) Sergeant Major of the Army Reserve Michele S. Jones (Ret.) Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Vincent W. Patton, III (Ret.)
Sergeant Major of the Army Jack L. Tilley (Ret.)
Civilian Leadership
Former Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton Former Under Secretary of the Army Joe R. Reeder

her husband was standing right next to her.

Quote:

her husband was standing right next to her.

This quote alarms me.

“And from military leaders who tell us that when more than one in four young people are unqualified for military service because of their weight, childhood obesity isn’t just a public health threat, it’s not just an economic threat, it’s a national security threat as well.

“And from military leaders who tell us that when more than one in four young people are unqualified for military service because of their weight, childhood obesity isn’t just a public health threat, it’s not just an economic threat, it’s a national security threat as well.

And from military leaders who tell us that when more than one in four young people are unqualified for military service because of their weight, childhood obesity isn’t just a public health threat, it’s not just an economic threat, it’s a national security threat as well.