Ted Poe: “disturbing news: the U.S. military is smaller in size than any time in the last 50 years and continues to shrink…”

“disturbing news: the U.S. military is smaller in size than any time in the last 50 years and continues to shrink, according to USA Today. But those who apply are larger than ever. Only 1.4 million people wear the military uniform; 95 percent of those are Reservists and National Guard troops. So the number of full-time military troops is small considering 300 million people live in the U.S. So why the shrinking military? One reason, more Americans do not qualify. To be in the best military in the world one must be in good medical shape, but two-thirds of the 17- to 24-year-olds that volunteer are disqualified. The number one reason? They are overweight. We have too many young people who are too big to join up. This Nation as a whole cannot continue to travel the ever-widening path of obesity because large people don't fit into the military. As the size of the military unfortunately trims down, the waistline of those who apply continues to grow. Mr. Speaker, overweight kids have become a national security issue. And that's just the way it is.”