Pool of potential enlistees is shrinking - due to obesity - any suggestions?

Don't eat so much! Of the 1in 3 young adults who are overweight, I wager that 95% of them have unhealthy, overweight parents! Be the example for your children and your grandchildren - that will help a lot!

Honestly, I don't think it will affect us much. We have "self selection bias" anyways. How often do we have someone say "I would have joined the Navy/USMC/Army/Air Force but they wouldn't take me because I was too fat?" Every USMC & Army recruiter I know will work with someone to get them down to DOD regs to give them a fighting chance. The real disqualifies for us is "drug use" and criminal activity (usually drug use).

Our recruitment requirements aren't so high that it will affect us that much, yet...

Stopping eating at Mc$hits! Stop taking the easy way out and actually walk to the corner store rather than driving. Watch what you eat and how much of it. Ask for a glass of water rather than a soda at dinner.

:Ltc Strickland, 14+ yrs with USAREC circa 1978-92 from on the block chasing HS grads cat 1-3A's to in service SORB duty with USAJFKSWC Ft Bragg I've always found the carrot stick, if you want what I got you got to do this. Motivate, recognize (Monthly, Qtrly) keeps your Dep pool semi filled Organize a PT platoon within the company, by RZ , zip code and get your butt out of your office once,twice a week should do. HS's will usually let you use the track or local gym, park etc will do. Then put it on the calendar/mandex then get your platoon in one spot and go do PT. Lord knows some of our recruiters could use some PT prep or call it there PT test and run with the idea over a few months and eval if it works, working, needs tweeking etc. Retired Wm Weatherell

The trend continues. Three years later, Army Times posted this article: https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2018/10/10/americas-obesity-is-threatening-national-security-according-to-this-study/#.W8cmK2GvSBA.twitter

I don't think anyone should be turned away due to obesity. It's rare that anyone cares enough about themselves or their country to enlist. I myself have been trying to enlist for over a year due to a very minor criminal record and having to get hand and knuckle tattoos removed. It's hard enough to get people to even consider joining up. All lot of guys today are completely against the military and what they do. If they want to enlist, let then enlist. Who cares if they're overweight. Sign them up anyway and let BCT take care of it.

Now it seems potential recruits from southern states are more at risk...
http://www.moaa.org/Content/Publications-and-Media/News-Articles/2018-News-Articles/Army-Recruits-From-These-States-Are-More-Likely-To-Be-Unfit,-Get-Injured.aspx

I have a suggestion, which if employed properly may help active-duty/reserve soldiers AND civilians alike: Mentoring and "soft recruitment" much like how 35M's operate, we can encourage our young leaders to engage the civilian populace whenever possible, be inclusive, and welcome the opportunity to share information about the service with our citizens who may be curious. Most of us didn't join up by making up our minds and walking into a recruiters office; we saw someone we wanted to be like, growing up: Someone who INSPIRED us to serve. We need to do that for the next generations, and develop relationships with these citizens and help give guidance toward realizing their goals, especially if those goals include the Military.
Practically speaking, all this would require us to change is this: Encourage soldiers to "volunteer" for community volunteer work supporting youth sports programs. Many kids don't have access to youth athletics because of: Scheduling issues/requirements their parents & guardians can't accommodate; Lack of public funding; Lack of sufficient/sufficiently qualified volunteers & lack of appropriate spaces available. Our military bases have ALL of these assets, readily available. We just have to incentivize our soldiers (especially junior leaders and non-NCO's) to "develop their leadership skills" by practicing on potential recruits, in service to their local communities.
In practice, it may look something like this: 2nd Squad, Bravo Co, 373rd MI Bn out of JBLM is assigned (from a pool of "volunteers") to advise/assist the local kids' <Sport> (field hockey, football, soccer, track, what-have-you) teams. They coordinate with local recruiting offices to enlist the help of young "Poolees" (pre-basic recruits in training) and the recruiting offices' supplies (funds well spent) which most already possess for recruiting efforts such as recruit PT.
In the end: Soldiers "volunteering" for these efforts get paid time off playing/coaching sports (spot-checked by their senior NCO's & officers) which develops junior leadership; the community sees us helping out; kids and young adults get to interact with the military in a positive environment; and levels of physical fitness amongst children increase. The field sports league assistance efforts in essence become ad hoc recruiting events, where we can show off our kit & vehicles (which kids love) and make more use of the facilities and equipment we pay for anyway.

Well

I wanted to continue with my service but I couldn't get my E-5 due to being overweight.