Call-to-Action: Evidence-Based Care of Overweight and Obesity in the United States Armed Forces
In April, American Security Project and over 50 signatories sent a call-to-action letter to the Department of Defense asking it to review its obesity identification and treatment guidelines and modify policies that prevent military service members from accessing vital medical care. The full text of the letter is below.
April 24, 2024
The Honorable Lloyd J. Austin, III
United States Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000
Dear Secretary Austin,
The obesity epidemic poses an existential threat to our national defense. Our Armed Forces face their largest recruitment crisis since the initiation of the all-volunteer force, and failure to meet body composition standards has led disqualifications of military applicants since 2014. Despite loosening fitness standards, the pool of eligible military recruits is shrinking rapidly as overweight and obesity rates surpass 57% of adults under 25.
This crisis has far-reaching impacts on readiness and retention. Overweight and obesity within the active and reserve components have reached unprecedented levels: among active-duty service members, 21% have obesity and two-thirds are clinically overweight. Musculoskeletal injuries, heart disease, type II diabetes, liver disease, and other comorbid conditions are rising in tandem with body composition trends.
Despite incredible leaps in medical and nutrition science, obesity and its comorbid conditions in the U.S. Armed Forces remain heavily stigmatized and underprioritized. The Department of Defense must take decisive action to rectify systemic issues preventing individuals with obesity from accessing evidence-based treatments including behavioral therapy, anti-obesity medications, and bariatric surgery.
The American Security Project and the following signatories are advocating for the following:
- A full review of obesity identification and treatment guidelines within the Department of Defense, including statistics on treatment approvals, denials, and appeals for existing treatment options.
- System-wide recognition of obesity as a chronic disease that can be treated while in service, provided the performance standards required within their role are met.
- Cost-effective, comprehensive policies for obesity prevention that preserve service members’ long-term health and, within combat arms occupational specialties, maximize combat effectiveness.
- Effective early interventions for overweight and obesity for all other service members, including those in the reserve and national guard components.
- Greater access to credentialed food and nutrition practitioners and the full continuum of evidence-based obesity treatments in consultation with medical professionals.
U.S. military personnel are our most critical national security asset and deserve our utmost care and respect. We must act decisively and unwaveringly to safeguard their health and restore the readiness of our military.
Respectfully,
American Security Project
1201 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20004
American Veterans
4647 Forbes Boulevard,
Lanham, MD 20706
The Obesity Society
9211 Corporate Blvd, Ste. 300
Rockville, MD 20850
National Security Leaders for America
michael.smith@nsl4a.org
(571) 228-2585
Obesity Action Coalition
4511 North Himes Ave, Suite 250
Tampa, FL 33614
The American College of National Security Leaders
2700 Virginia Ave NW,
Washington, DC 20037
Obesity Medicine Association
7173 Havana St #600-130
Centennial, CO 80112
Alliance for Women’s Health and Prevention
WomensHealthandPrevention.org
(202) 957-3200
African American Wellness Project
1 P Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
Alliance for Patient Access
2020 K Street NW, Suite 505
Washington, DC 20006
Partnership to Advance
Cardiovascular Health
2020 K Street NW, Suite 505
Washington, D.C. 20006
Gerontological Society of America
1101 14th Street NW, Suite 1220
Washington, DC 20005
Obesity Care Advocacy Network
2175 K St NW,
Washington, DC 20037
National Hispanic Medical Association
1920 L St NW #200,
Washington, DC 20036
Global Liver Institute
info@globalliver.org
(800) 845-5910
Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness
950 New Hampshire Ave NW #2,
Washington, DC 20037
YMCA of the USA
101 N Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
Choose Healthy Life
choosehealthylife.org
nmansour@choosehealthylife.org
WomenHeart: The National Coalition
for Women with Heart Disease
712 H Street, NE Ste. 2201,
Washington, DC 20002
The Endocrine Society
2055 L Street NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics
1120 Connecticut Ave NW 460,
Washington, DC 20036
American Society for Nutrition
9211 Corporate Blvd, Suite 300
Rockville, MD 20850
HealthyWomen
P.O. Box 336
Middletown, NJ 07748
American Diabetes Association
2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 900
Arlington, VA 22202
The Mended Hearts, Inc.
1579 US Highway 19
Leesburg, GA 31763 USA
National Hispanic Health Foundation
1216 5th Ave,
New York, NY 10029
Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A.
1811 R Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
WeightWatchers
675 Avenue of The Americas Fl 6,
New York, New York, 10010
And the Following Individual Signatories,
General Merrill McPeak
United States Air Force, Retired
Former Acting Chairman of the Air Force
Member, Consensus for American Security
Lieutenant General John G. Castellaw
United States Marine Corps, Retired
Former Chief of Staff, U.S. Central Command
Member, Consensus for American Security
Vice Admiral Kevin P. Green
United States Navy, Retired
Former Deputy Chief of Naval Operations
Member, Consensus for American Security
Brigadier General Stephen Cheney
United States Marine Corps, Retired
Former Inspector General of the U.S. Marine Corps
President Emeritus, American Security Project
Rear Admiral Timothy Gallaudet
United States Navy, Retired
Former Under Secretary of Commerce, Oceans and Atmosphere
Member, Consensus for American Security
Lieutenant General Norman R. Seip
United States Air Force, Retired
Former Commander, 12th Air Force
President, American Security Project
Lieutenant General Daniel Christman
United States Army, Retired
Former Superintendent, United States Military Academy
Member, American Security Project Board of Directors
Brigadier General Stephen N. Xenakis, MD
United States Army, Retired
Executive Director, American Psychedelic Practitioners Association
Vice Admiral Lee Gunn
United States Navy, Retired
Former Naval Inspector General of the United States
Member, American Security Project Board of Directors
Brigadier General Robert Felderman
United States Army, Retired
Former Deputy Director of Strategy, Policy and Plans,
United States Northern Command
Captain Richard Miller
United States Navy, Retired
Director of Ship Design, Naval Ship Engineering Center
Member, Consensus for American Security
Major General Rick Devereaux
United States Air Force, Retired
Former Director of Operational Planning, Policy, and Strategy,
U.S. Air Force Headquarters
Member, Consensus for American Security
Vice Admiral William Burke
United States Navy, Retired
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfare Systems
Member, Consensus for American Security
Colonel Dave Belote
United States Air Force, Retired
Former Executive Director,
Department of Defense Siting Clearinghouse
Major General William L. Enyart
United States National Guard, Retired
37th Adjutant General of the State of Illinois
Member, Consensus for American Security
Brigadier General Steven M. Anderson
United States Army, Retired
Deputy Chief of Staff,
Logistics for the Multi-National Force in Iraq
Member, Consensus for American Security
Major General Jim H. Keffer
United States Air Force, Retired
Former Chief of Staff, U.S. Cyber Command
Vice President for Future Warfare Concepts & Cyber, Lockheed Martin
LTC Chris Kremidas-Courtney
United States Army, Retired
Former Multilateral Engagement Coordinator,
U.S. European Command
Vice Admiral Michael Franken
United States Navy, Retired
Former Deputy Director of Military Operations,
United States Africa Command
Rear Admiral Len R. Hering, Sr.
United States Navy, Retired
Former Commander, Navy Region Southwest
Member, Consensus for American Security
Captain Jim Goudreau
United States Navy, Retired
Former Director of Policy and Partnerships,
Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary
U.S. Representative Don Beyer
U.S. Representative, Virginia 8th Congressional District
Member, American Security Project Board of Directors
Governor Christine Todd Whitman
50th Governor, State of New Jersey
Chair, American Security Project Board of Directors
David Wade
Member, American Security Project Board of Directors
Stuart Piltch
Member, American Security Project Board of Directors
Edward R. Reilly
Member, American Security Project Board of Directors
Call-to-Action Letter for E… by The American Security Project
