America’s army has launched a scheme to slim down its recruits
The shortage of potential soldiers able to pass physicals has forced the army to change tack
A few months ago Michael Devey, an obese and homeless 22-year-old, wandered into the army recruitment office in Sacramento, California. Desperate for a bed and an income, he longed to enlist but knew his size precluded him. It turned out to be his lucky day. A brand-new programme to whip overweight recruits into shape was just kicking off. Mr Devey signed on the dotted line and within weeks shipped out to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, for army fat camp.
This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Marching on their stomachs”
United States January 14th 2023
- After a spectacularly chaotic start for Congress, more discord looms
- What California’s deadly storms reveal about the state’s climate future
- America’s army has launched a scheme to slim down its recruits
- Polyamory is getting slivers of legal recognition in America
- America’s culture wars extend into medicine
- How rappers are strengthening Donald Trump’s movement
From the January 14th 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from United States
America’s bet on industrial policy starts to pay off for semiconductors
Trump will not reverse the chip subsidies, but will he reinforce them?
Most Americans think moderate drinking is fine
They are unaware of the cancer risk
Mike Johnson has his old job back, for now
But the GOP has the tightest House majority in nearly a century
When treating snakebites, American hospitals turn to zoos
The zookeeper will see you now
Los Angeles against the flames
Always vulnerable, the city is increasingly susceptible to fire
The US Army needs less good, cheaper drones to compete
It seems obvious. So what is stopping it from happening?