75% of Americans Too Fat or Dumb to Join Army

[Gawd]

75% of Potential Recruits Too Fat, Too Sickly, Too Dumb to Serve

More than three-quarters of the nation’s 17- to 24-year-olds couldn’t serve in the military, even if they wanted to. They’re too fat, too sickly, too dumb, have too many kids, or have copped to using illegal drugs.

The armed services are willing to grant waivers for some of those conditions – asthma, or a little bit of weed. But the military’s biggest concern is how big and how weak its potential recruits have become.

“The major component of this is obesity,” Curt Gilroy, the Pentagon’s director of accessions, tells Army Times‘ William McMichael. “Kids are just not able to do push-ups… And they can’t do pull-ups. And they can’t run.”

23 percent of 18- to 34-year-old are now obese, up from just six percent in 1987.

......

America: Land of the blubber people.
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/11 ... -to-serve/

[Gallstones]

I think I've read this before.


If true, now would be a good time to rethink having unfunded PE.

[Warren Dew]

“The major component of this is obesity,” Curt Gilroy, the Pentagon’s director of accessions, tells Army Times‘ William McMichael. “Kids are just not able to do push-ups… And they can’t do pull-ups. And they can’t run.”

I thought fixing that was what basic training was all about.

[Gawd]

“The major component of this is obesity,” Curt Gilroy, the Pentagon’s director of accessions, tells Army Times‘ William McMichael. “Kids are just not able to do push-ups… And they can’t do pull-ups. And they can’t run.”

I thought fixing that was what basic training was all about.

You can't turn pigs into donkeys.

[Atheist-Lite]

“The major component of this is obesity,” Curt Gilroy, the Pentagon’s director of accessions, tells Army Times‘ William McMichael. “Kids are just not able to do push-ups… And they can’t do pull-ups. And they can’t run.”

I thought fixing that was what basic training was all about.

You can't turn pigs into donkeys.

You can these days. What you need is a little bit this genetic engineering. That and a tax on fatty foods.

[amused]

The single largest category of source for calories in the American diet - soft drinks, average of 44 gallons a year.

But as long as those fat kids can play video games, they can fly a drone!

[PsychoSerenity]

I think I've read this before.

Yes well the article linked to was published in 2009, and just over a year ago, also posted by Gawd, is this thread. Merge!

Gawd, when you're trawling the internet looking for old articles to say bad things about America, try to keep track of what you've already done.

But as long as those fat kids can play video games, they can fly a drone!

Also,

[amused]

If you're doing something that pisses off Gawd and/or Seth, then you're probably doing it right.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Oh, to be a member of a Gawd-less forum.

[Gawd]

I think I've read this before.

Yes well the article linked to was published in 2009, and just over a year ago, also posted by Gawd, is this thread. Merge!

Gawd, when you're trawling the internet looking for old articles to say bad things about America, try to keep track of what you've already done.

But as long as those fat kids can play video games, they can fly a drone!

Also,

Still an interesting article and it got linked from a new Wired article about how the US. Army is lowering their intelligence and fitness standards to accommodate the dumber, fatter American of today. The new wired article says that you no longer run in basic training because most of the potential recruits are too fat and out of shape to do it. Instead, running will now be replaced by basic stretching and whacking each other with sticks. This is no joke.

[tattuchu]

I don't know about the general population of kids these days, but I can tell you that all the new employees here at work, if they're young, they're big and fat and slow and stupid. It's the damndest thing I've ever seen. Whether this can be extrapolated to the greater population at large, I've no idea.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

If everybody's too fat and stupid to be in the military, what does this imply about future wars?

[maiforpeace]

Who usually applies for a job in the army?

The poor.

Who are also more likely to be less educated and overweight.

And yea, come up with something new at least Gawd.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Who usually applies for a job in the army?

The poor.

Who are also more likely to be less educated and overweight.

Which dumbass was it that was saying poor people are fat because they eat at McDonald's all the time?

And yea, come up with something new at least Gawd.

Hey, he recycles.

[Svartalf]

The single largest category of source for calories in the American diet - soft drinks, average of 44 gallons a year.

But as long as those fat kids can play video games, they can fly a drone!

Have you compared the costs of operating drones to that of sending grunts? Surprising, the unmanned approach isn't the cheaper.