Fort Hood Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 32, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, June 22, 1973 Page: 1 of 24
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/OL. 32 NO. 16
By JOHN PEARCE
It's a problem. We giggle
about it as youngsters using
painful adolescent chants as
observant weapons. We
utilize its proportions during
the teen years glorifying one
of its victims at defensive
tackle. We even ignore its
presence at lavish parties
preferring instead to write it
off as a sign of "the good
life."
Being overweight is a
problem. In fact. it just
might kill you.
Recognizing the need for
reduced waistlines and slim
mer fatigue sizes the 13th
Spt. Bde. is doing its bit to
eliminate the Army's over
weight situation.
Bde. Chief of Staff Lt. Col.
Thomas Waters pulled no
punches in considering the
situation. "Being overweight
is a serious matter in civilian
life as well as in the
military" the colonel said.
He added "We've always
been concerned about this
problem in the Army. What
we're doing is more along the
lines of firm reemphasis of
past policy."
TIME TO REDUCE
Interpreted policy is this:
When your bathroom scale
snickers at the mere attempt
of your annual 'weigh-in'.
it's time to reduce!
In actuality the Army has
punitive measures for
'calorie-clubbers' namely AR
635-200 which can force an in
dividual out of the service
k.
due to his exaggerated con
dition.
"Naturally this is a radical
step which rarely happens"
the colonel responded. "There
are cases where a man has
been barred from reenlist-
ment but we prefer to let the
individual work his problem
out before such action is
taken."
Many feel the Army has lit
tle right to bar a competent
G.I. from reenlistment
because of his size. PV2
Daniel Williams 169th Maint.
Bn. disagrees. "Many jobs
just can't be performed ef
ficiently if a man is over
weight. Besides it's bad for
his health" he said.
Sgt. Cecil Hamm of the
401st MP Co. agrees. "What
if we had to enter a combat
situation with a squad of fat
troopers!?" he posed.
In retrospect those who
disagree with military weight
standards should read AR 40-
501 to see how lenient these
standards actually are. It
states that a man. age 21-35
at a height of six feet can
fluctuate anywhere from the
minimum of 131 pounds to a
well nourished maximum of
232 pounds. This standard is
more liberal than most
physicians recommend.
E I A W O
CONCERNED
So much for administrative
policy. The medical world is
also active in the fight
against overweight. Darnall
Army Hospital's (DAH) Dr.
WW
Steve Ritiner is no exception
in his condemnations against
the overweight problem.
"Let's face it. The correct
term for such a condition is
not overweight. It's obesity
pure and simple" he an
swered seriously. "I'm really
tired of treating this with kid
glove.s and polite social
brush-offs. I see hundreds of
men on this post who are
obese. It simultaneously
makes me and them sick"
the slim doctor noted.
SOCIETY COMMENTS
Unfortunately we don't
associate bigness with ill
health. Fat people are con
sidered jovial well tempered
and anything but capable of
premature death. We couldn't
bear a grumpy slender Santa
Claus or an ill-tempered
skinny Friar Tuck. Even
recent "Fat is Beautiful"
posters portray obesity as a
personality asset.
Regardless America's
pathetic attempt to ignore its
faults with glib comedy is
more appealing than the
damaging physical side ef
fects of obesity. Here are the
hard facts: An increasing
rate of fatty metabolisms in
duces high blood pressure
which in turn contributes to
the greatest killer of the
American male—heart at
tack.
In fact more men die from
heart conditions than the
much dreaded cancer. Sur
prised? Think of that before
you dig into that second
PIE?
What causes an American
obesity problem? We well
might turn to Mom and her
apple pie for the answer. As
patriotic as this phrase has
become it also exemplifies a
typical and dangerous at
titude toward our eating
habits.
As a rule mothers become
alarmed at the thought of
anything less than well stuf
fed babes. Consequently
many of us often grow up as
virtually fat apple-cheeked
laddies and lassies.
Cpt. Mary Sladky a
dietician at DAH believes this
particular syndrome is true.
"The unfortunate truth is
that cute chubby babies of
ten grow up to become obese
not so cute adults" she
lamented.
"The pre-natal stage is
crucial for control of obesity.
We need to educate the ex
pectant mother on the over
weight problem before her
FORT HOOD SENTINEL
FORT HOOD FRIDAY JUNE 22 1973
'PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE PERSONNEL OF FORT HOOD."
Uit
"I'm really tired of treating this with kid gloves
and polite social brush-offs. I see hundreds of men on
this post who are obese. It simultaneously makes me
and them sick" the slim doctor noted.
chunk of chocolate pie.
"Obesity also contributes to
many other conditions
among them diabetes" Dr.
Rinner added. "As you can
see being fat has its disad
vantages."
MOM AND LESS APPLE
10.
Calorie counting is stressed to Army overweights
child is born. If she can con
trol her eating habits pass
on these same good habits to
her child the problem is half
a
remarked.
ARMY CHOW—NOT AT
FAULT
What then causes obesity in
today's Green Scene? Most of
us would turn to the apparent
source and exclaim" The
starchy foods in our mess
halls!" Most of us would be
wrong.
Pfc. John Harrison a cook
with the HHC Special Troops
Dining Facility spoke from
a in in I a
everything from our chow
line your correct nutritional
intake has been fulfilled as
approved by government
standards."
Dr. Rinner agreed "Mess
hall food is calorically sound
by institutional standards."
The key then is not how
much you eat. People don't
get fat by eating too much
but by eating too much of the
wrong things.
Cpt. Sladky added "In or
der to keep from becoming
overweight we must eat
those foods which contain
vital nutrients and vitamins.
You know meat fruit and
••Published by Community Enterprises Incorpor a ted. a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Army. Opinions expressed by writers herein are their own and are not to be considered an official expression of the Department
of the Army. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of the products or services advertised.
Wa
vegetables. At the same time
we must cut back on those
things we like the most
especially those rich dessert-
s" she sighed.
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!
Certainly cutting back on
certain foods isn't the only
way to avoid obesity. Col.
W a a is
existent paunch and grinned.
"My doctor says I should
drop a few so I'm involved in
tennis and hand ball to tone
my muscles. I'd suggest
exercise to my men too" he
confirmed.
Dr. Rinner agreed. "If
you're really concerned about
your weight I'd say Run For
if a in
program held daily at Prit-
chard Stadium. Besides run
ning and swimming are two
of the best ways to get and
stay in shape."
Because we live a seden
tary life our exercise often
consists of an occasional
round of golf viewed mostly
at
comfortable perch of an elec
tric golf cart.
S in a
pounds isn't easy especially
when you reach the magical
age of 40. Running dieting
and exercising just don't
seem appealing anymore.
Dr. Rinner sympathized
"It's tough for a man of 40 to
start jogging several miles a
day. I feel sorry for him but
it's up to the concerned in
dividual to do something
I
4
l!\l
about his condition."
BANANA DIETS—FOR THE
MONKEYS
What about faddish diets?
Dr. Rinner shook his head.
"For the most part these new
and stylish diets 'everyone's
doing' just don't work. Being
obese is a disease often part
of a family history. To be
treated correctly always see
your doctor."
a to
reduction requires patience
and conscious effort: Con
sume about 1000 calories a
day exercise on your own
stop smoking and cut down
on your drinking. Alcohol is a
prime factor of obesity. This
is what doctors recommend.
Just as in the fundamentals
of the Bible—nothing is con
sidered a sin until done in ex
cess. Man are we sinners!
With the Army acting more
as an informant toward the
overweight problem Col.
Inside the Sentinel
More fat stuff P. 10A
What Chico worry? P. 3B
Cav's third man P. 4B
New DivArty barracks P. 11B
24 Pages
Waters added "The one per
son concerned about you is
you. All medical and military
iv
longevity. None can give you
long life but^ yourself." Looks
like the Army is hoping you'll
make the right decision on
your own before it inter
venes.
Now that you know the fork
can kill ask your doctor to
help you lick overfill.
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Fort Hood Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 32, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, June 22, 1973, newspaper, June 22, 1973; Temple, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth255189/m1/1/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Casey Memorial Library.