There is some disturbing news about a health issue the past few weeks. It has been repeated now and then for the last decade but it seems that the problem is getting worse. The first news from the media was that 71 percent of people from 17 years to 24 years were unfit for military duty. Having been through basic training a long time ago it is hard to imagine that seven out of every 10 youth could not make it through some basic fitness challenges. Five years ago I had talked with a couple of army officers I knew and asked them about the status of new recruits coming into the army. Five years ago the answer was, “It is becoming a problem since many have a hard time completing basic training. The program now requires us to spend more time trying to get them in physical shape so they can follow the training necessary to learn squad techniques for a battle.” It looks like since five years ago the end result has finally become a real problem.
The primary problem seems to be the number of overweight and obese individuals that can’t pass a physical to enroll in the military. I am not sure what the category is now but at one time if you could not pass a physical you were classified 4-F. Some individuals were classified with a 4 –F but most of them had severe vision problems, were physically disabled, or had loss of hearing, or were considered intellectually disabled. The overweight and obese classifications were very few. It seems that the individuals that did enter the army basic training and were considered overweight were put on a special diet and exercise program that got them in shape in a few weeks.
While there is a problem with overweight and obese individuals getting into the military the problem is also in many civilian jobs. Think of a person wanting to get into a fire department as a career. The job requirements for a fireman (woman) includes hauling up hoses, carrying an air tank on your back, and breathing through an air hose, while going up a flight of stairs with heavy gear on. Add to the problem the conditions of the fire and heat makes strength and aerobic fitness a life-saving necessity.
Another career that makes fitness a life-saving necessity would be the fire fighters taking on forest fires. After watching video replays of the fires in California this past year was scary. We have had several fires here in Central Texas in recent years. The fire in Bastrop is still fresh on most people’s memories. The job of a forest fire fighter is one that requires tremendous overall fitness.
My oldest son is a police officer in San Antonio and early in his career he was a member of a SWAT team. The team had regular fitness drills and training on a daily basis for any emergency they were called upon to help out with. There were running several miles on a regular schedule, strength training, weapons practice, and team drills to make sure when the need to enter a possible scene they were fit enough to do so.
While the careers and problems with people being more overweight and obese mentioned are for adults that are in the job market to problem starts much earlier. The number of children in elementary school are starting on the first stages of being overweight. There are too many of them that are already considered obese for their age. The problem is a tough to solve. Part of this problem comes with the changes in the way children view physical activity. Instead of heading outside to play some type of activity such as a ball game, tag, or ride a bike around the neighborhood, the Xbox games and video games are now more prevalent. Schools are concerned about the scores on tests that often determine how the school will be looked at – both as staying open, or put on restrictions if the grades are low. From looking at this problem from my teaching days the solution was to cut the number of hours, or days, of physical education and recess. I have been out of the teaching field for a few years but I wonder how many elementary schools still have a period of recess in addition to physical education class. State law has the number of students in elementary school limited to 22 students in a class. That is not true for classes in physical education. I have seen classes of 50 or more students in a gym. Think about herding a class of 50 students with a teacher and a substitute. What games can you play? In one gym, how many teams can you put on the floor at one time to play a game of volleyball or basketball with 50 children? I have to give a high five hand pat to the elementary physical education that I have seen keeping all of the students moving for the entire class period. They are amazingly creative in the activities they offer.
The problem with keeping the fitness level of students is increased when they are in high school and the required amount of time for physical education is limited. When you read that 71 percent of individuals not qualifying for the military, or a number of physical demanding careers, it needs to start with children and keeping them active every day. There are a number of opportunities for activity for all individuals, young and old, by communities and recreation departments, but the key is to take advantage of them.
