According to several reports American children are growing obese at alarming rates.
This fact, being blamed in part on school lunches; which are often high in fat, sugar,
salt and too many calories, can no longer be ignored.
Many high school teenagers are too heavy to enlist in the military. The Armed Services of today have rather rigid standards that have to be met by all members of the military.
Gone are the days of the big "potbelly" noncoms, the real leaders of our fighting forces. If you gain too much weight, you have to lose it or face possible discipline actions. Who wants to follow a non-commissioned or petty officer who can not keep up
with their subordinates?
School systems have been attempting to provide more nutritious lunches, but there are still the "fast food" lines serving empty calories.
Of course not all the blame can be laid at the feet of our schools. Lack of proper diet, training, and exercise at home must share the blame.
Will there come a day when every enlistee must undergo a strict diet and exercise regimen prior to actual enlistment? We can only hope not.
Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
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