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.
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/11/75-of-potential-recruits-too-...

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