Army’s New Weight-Loss Plan: Transplant Soldiers With Extra Fat

[Steven Thunander]

"Just last week, military brass vowed that the force of the future would be “smaller and leaner.” Apparently, the Army’s taking that pretty damn literally. They want smaller, leaner soldiers. Their best idea to do it? Give GIs transplants of extra fat cells.

Seriously. In the Army’s latest round of small-business research awards, they’ve green-lit a proposal to manufacture transplantable brown fat cells, all in an effort to catalyze rapid weight loss. Portlier soldiers, you might recall, are turning into a major dilemma for top brass. An estimated 75 percent of today’s young Americans are either too fat, too sickly or too dumb to serve. The Army’s even overhauled their fitness program, in part to accommodate softer recruits, by swapping long runs and grueling drills for yoga and calisthenics."
...

"That said, fat losses aren’t synonymous with fitness gains. In other words, the soldiers of the future might very well be smaller and leaner. But without rigorous exercise, they’ll still, sadly, totally suck at CrossFit."

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012...at-injections/

[Michael Buzny]

Originally Posted by Steven Thunander

"Just last week, military brass vowed that the force of the future would be “smaller and leaner.” Apparently, the Army’s taking that pretty damn literally. They want smaller, leaner soldiers. Their best idea to do it? Give GIs transplants of extra fat cells.

Seriously. In the Army’s latest round of small-business research awards, they’ve green-lit a proposal to manufacture transplantable brown fat cells, all in an effort to catalyze rapid weight loss. Portlier soldiers, you might recall, are turning into a major dilemma for top brass. An estimated 75 percent of today’s young Americans are either too fat, too sickly or too dumb to serve. The Army’s even overhauled their fitness program, in part to accommodate softer recruits, by swapping long runs and grueling drills for yoga and calisthenics."
...

"That said, fat losses aren’t synonymous with fitness gains. In other words, the soldiers of the future might very well be smaller and leaner. But without rigorous exercise, they’ll still, sadly, totally suck at CrossFit."

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012...at-injections/

Not sure how applicable it is to all US Army bases, but when I was in Ft. Irwin in 2010 with the advance party for our large training event for the Stan, I was quite shocked by the "quality" of food served in the DFAC. Pretty much every meal option, every day was fryed food. Now Canadian messes aren't that great either but it was pretty gross eating fried food for those two weeks. If other DFACs are the same, perhaps thats were the brass should start.

[Jason Wallis]

They have a many-headed dragon to slay... Better food will play a part, but they must be able to create a "culture of fit," creating a soldier who is informed and motivated enough to take care of his/herself. How to do this is anyone's guess, but it would definately need to be an extension of american culture in general, just as the problem of fat/out of shape trainees is an extension of our fat/out of shape populace.

[Richard Foote]

Several steps will fall into place in the very near future to assist in this process.

First, the reduction of forces over the coming years will make removing Soldiers from the ranks a much more efficient process. Many of those removed will be the men and women who choose to NOT heed the warnings about improving their health and fitness. Being flagged, and ultimately chaptered, for fitness and weight/tape failures, will become more prevalent.

Second, the development and implementation of a new, improved fitness program will make it easier for those who are already fit, or are at least putting forth the effort to become fit, to find a path and stick to it. Functional Fitness is expanding everywhere (I use Fort Hood as an example), and we are seeing more and more Soldiers pushing themselves daily to compete with their peers, and against themselves. While I may not agree with the total implementation of the PRT system (Physical Readiness Training), I do see it as an aid for those Soldiers who need the most help, and at least a maintenance program for those already capable.

I believe the failure we see in the population of Soldiers not meeting the standard is primarily the fault of the Soldiers themselves, however, a motivated chain of command can go a long way toward keeping Soldiers invested in the system. Young leaders need to step up their games and show ALL of their troops that fitness is crucial, that proper nutrition is a key to success, and that NOT making the standard is no longer a long-term option.

[Michael Netherton]

Then there is alcohol consumption, those of us who have served know all to well that there is allot of it. While it was fun at times to play as hard as I used to train, that alcohol sure wreaks havoc on the metabolism.

"Who needs the gym when you quit drinking. I've lost 12 pounds in 11 days not to shabby"- An old military friend on Facebook in January