> 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.