Soldiers need to be able to run and move extremely fast

It's not just the American army which is experiencing weight problems, but now even soldiers in Singapore are facing a crisis of obesity. The Singapore Armed Forces have sent out letters to hundreds of soldiers in the army, navy and air force warning them that they have to lose a minimum of 10% of their body weight within a year and that over the next three years they have to get back to a normal weight. The letter even warns that those men who do not comply put themselves at risk of being booted out.

The problem of obesity in the Singapore Armed Forces is not a new one and weight management programs have been in place for over eight years however they don't seem to have bucked the ongoing trend of heavier servicemen.

The idea that you can be part of an efficient and lethal fighting force and at the same time be overweight or obese is frankly stupid. Soldiers need to be able to run and move extremely fast in order to protect not only themselves but also their fellow soldiers. A soldier who is unfit is not only a danger to himself but to any other soldier who works with him and should therefore be immediately removed from active duty.

In many professions peak physical fitness is not a requirement. You don't need to be perfectly thin to be an accountant, a lawyer or a doctor [but it helps], but in the case of being a soldier there should be a zero tolerance policy towards any weight problems.

If soldiers are found to be overweight they should be given a few months to go and sort themselves out and get back in shape at which point they can be readmitted into the fighting forces. If they can't get back into shape they shouldn't be soldiers!