An alarming stat

This is an alarming stat I learned today: 27% of people who try to sign up/enlist in the armed forces are turned away because they are too heavy.

If you think about this, it tells you a lot about the condition of our country; physically, emotionally; economically and defensively.

Historically, most people who enlisted in the armed services were from more depressed or less educated areas of the country. These are the same people who have been hit the heaviest by the obesity epidemic (ah no pun intended). The cost of health care for all the obese people is a topic that can be bantered for the next decade on a daily basis, but the fact remains that the heavier a person is the higher the risk of comorbidities and the higher the cost to society per individual. The cost to our nation's defense will also be harmed as we will have fewer people to pull from when our armed services need more bodies, which means fewer people fighting to keep us safe.

I could go on for a long time about all of this but a few words for thought on the Memorial Day Holiday.

Cheers!