Child Nutrition Act supports healthful meals, fights childhood obesity
March 7th, 2012Bangor Daily News (ME) -- By Nelson E. Durgin, Major General, US Air Force (Retired) -- As a father and grandfather, I often find myself thinking about the health and well-being of the next generat... more
Obesity hurting military recruiting
March 5th, 2012Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN) -- By Vance H. Fry, Rear Admiral, US Navy (Retired) Re: "National food fight looms" (Feb. 22). Your editorial in support of stronger nutrition standards for sn... more
Obesity and the Military: A Retired General’s View
March 2nd, 2012New York Times -- By Richard E. Hawley, General, US Air Force (Retired) Re “New Guidelines Planned on School Vending Machines” (news article, Feb. 21): Obesity is the leading medical reason... more
Hold Back Next Crisis
February 26th, 2012Arkansas Democrat Gazette (Little Rock, AR) -- By Melvin C. Thrash, Major General, US Army (Ret.) -- As a retired general and the former head of the Arkansas National Guard, I join retired generals... more
Safe routes to school are important to our national security
February 24th, 2012The Times Record (Brunswick, ME) -- By J.D. Williams, Vice Admiral, US Navy (Retired) -- Remember the days when many kids walked or rode their bikes to school? Well, those days are long gone. Sin... more
Future depends on education
February 24th, 2012Lancaster Intelligencer Journal (PA) -- By Dennis L. Benchoff, Lieutenant General, US Army (Retired) -- Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed cuts to Pennsylvania's quality early childhood education programs ... more
Retired military officers push for Va. preschool funds
February 3rd, 2012The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk) -- A group of retired military flag officers called on state lawmakers Thursday to support a proposed funding increase for subsidized preschool programs, framing the is... more
Poor education blocks military careers
January 29th, 2012The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS) -- By Lt. Gen. Erik Hearon, Miss. National Guard (retired), Major Gen. Larry Harrington, Miss. National Guard (retired), Major Gen. Roger Shields, Miss. Nationa... more
Early childhood programs support national security
January 24th, 2012Portland Press Herald (ME) -- By Wallace H. Nutting, General, US Army (Retired) -- I was pleased to read the recent guest column by prominent law enforcement leaders across our region about why high... more
Kids need to be fit to serve our country when they grow up
January 22nd, 2012The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, CA) -- By Herbert R. Temple, Jr., Lieutenant General, US Army (Retired) -- State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson recently launched the Team Californi... more
Early education and security
January 13th, 2012Bangor Daily News (ME) -- By Nelson E. Durgin, Major General, US Air Force (Retired) -- I was heartened to read the recent OpEd column from two prominent Bangor business leaders, Bill Miller and Da... more
Early learning programs crucial to national defense
January 12th, 2012Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) -- By Jack W. Klimp, Lieutenant General, US Marine Corps (Retired) -- As the former commanding general of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command, I strongly support high-q... more
Early education is important to military
January 8th, 2012Hattiesburg American (MS) -- By Larry Harrington, Major General, US Army (Retired) -- As a retired general and resident of Hattiesburg, I agree that early childhood education is "crucial to elevati... more
Worries mount over lack of physical education in schools
January 5th, 2012McClatchy Newspapers -- With public schools cutting back on spending for physical education, some members of Congress want to intervene, worried that the nation's schools are churning out too many fa... more
A group of retired generals and admirals is concerned about the obesity epidemic among American children
December 16th, 2011The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) -- A group of Oklahoma's retired generals and admirals says the state's childhood obesity epidemic isn't just a matter of health — it's also a matter of national secu... more
Retired Generals and Admirals Tell Congress: Just Say No To Pizza as a Vegetable in School Lunches
November 21st, 2011Washington, D.C. (November 14, 2011) – Citing Defense Department estimates that 1 in 4 young adults is too overweight to join the military, more than 100 retired generals and admirals urged Congress... more
Funding needed to ensure secure future
November 18th, 2011Centre Daily Times (PA) -- By Dennis L. Benchoff, Lieutenant General, US Army (Retired) -- As a former chief of staff of U.S. Army Recruiting Command, I know that there is an added future dimension... more
Obesity crisis a matter of life and death
November 13th, 2011San Jose Mercury News (CA) -- By Paul D. Monroe, Jr., Major General, US Army (Retired) -- The high percentage of California children who are overweight (Page 6A, Nov. 10) is a concern to retired gen... more
Too many youths too overweight and unfit to fight, retired military brass say
November 10th, 2011Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) -- The nation's young adults are getting too fat, and unfit, to fight. That is the conclusion of a group of retired military leaders who noted Wednesday that... more
Battling Obesity To Stay In The Military
November 3rd, 2011AOL Jobs -- If keeping current soldiers' weights in line wasn't hard enough, the military has been fighting to help prepare potential enlistees to qualify for the armed forces. According to a 2008 re... more
Don't let education crisis become national security crisis
October 31st, 2011Kalamazoo Gazette (MI) -- By Thomas G. Cutler, Major General, US Air Force (Retired) -- Kudos to Kalamazoo business leaders for their support of high-quality early care and education. As a retired g... more
Army revises basic training to get recruits into better shape
October 23rd, 2011Fayetteville Observer (NC) -- Mentally and physically, military recruits are increasingly out of shape -- the result of a generation that has enjoyed the benefits, and pitfalls, of technology. Tha... more
Early childhood education key for national security
October 21st, 2011Kennebec Journal (Augusta, ME) -- By Oakley E. Osborn, Rear Admiral, US Navy (Retired) -- As someone with roots in Winthrop, I was pleased to read the recent Maine Compass by Rep. Patrick Flood ("E... more
Early childhood education sound investment in youth
October 9th, 2011Maine Sunday Telegram -- By Richard W. Tuttle, Brigadier General, US Air Force (Retired) -- Improving Maine's early childhood system is key to students' future successes. As a retired Air Force b... more
Why Can't Hawaii Kids Join The Military?
September 27th, 2011Honolulu Magazine -- Two recent reports, released separately by different groups, say Uncle Sam won’t take many of Hawaii’s 18-to-24-year-olds because they are too fat or can’t pass the Armed S... more
The unemployment facts we'd rather not face
September 8th, 2011FORTUNE -- An alarming view of prospective young employees comes from the Defense Department, which has found that 75% of Americans aged 17 to 24 are not qualified to serve in the armed forces. A ... more
Race to the Top will help all students succeed
September 8th, 2011Kennebec Journal (Augusta, ME) -- By Eugene “Gene” Richardson, Brigadier General, US Army (Retired) -- It was good to read your recent editorial highlighting Maine's efforts to secure additiona... more
City makes a push for preschool: With encouragement from the military, Portland announces plans to eventually offer all its 4-year-olds the early schooling
September 3rd, 2011Portland Press Herald (ME) --Superintendent Jim Morse announced an ambitious plan Friday to give all 4-year-olds in the city the option of preschool by 2015. Providing that option, he said, would help... more
Obesity: a matter of national security
September 2nd, 2011San Diego Union-Tribune -- By James W. Comstock, Major General, US Army (Retired) and Ronne Froman, Rear Admiral, US Navy (Retired) -- As retired flag officers and residents of California, we are... more
Military Officials in Maine Call for More Pre-School Programs
September 2nd, 2011Maine Public Broadcasting Network -- If you're a military recruiter, here's one possible upside to the flagging economy: plenty of potential new enlistees. The problem, according to one retired Navy ... more
Early literacy is critical to security
August 26th, 2011Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL) -- By David J. Bailey, MD, MBA and Donald L. Kerrick, Lieutenant General, US Army (Retired) -- Call us Florida's odd couple on education reform: a retired ge... more
Teens are not prepared for Army
August 25th, 2011Hattiesburg American (MS) -- Poor educational achievement in Mississippi is a threat to America's national security, according to two retired Army generals from Hattiesburg. U.S. Army retired Maj.... more
Help children become lifeline to our future
August 15th, 2011The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) -- In a recent report, the Pentagon reported that a whopping 75 percent of Americans ages 17 to 24 — 26 million young Americans — cannot join the military. The re... more
Cutting education could affect national security
July 31st, 2011Orlando Sentinel -- By Donald L. Kerrick, Lieutenant General, US Army (Retired) -- As debt-reduction talks intensify, U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio need to prioritize and protect the mo... more
Mission: Readiness mourns the loss of retired Army General John Shalikashvili
July 26th, 2011Mission: Readiness mourns the loss of retired Army General John Shalikashvili, a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and one of the founding members of Mission: Readiness. General Shalika... more
Security threat
July 26th, 2011Miami Herald -- By Donald R. Infante, Major General, US Army (Retired) -- The report by Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation cited in the editorial offers more evidence... more
Healthier meals, healthier military
July 23rd, 2011St. Louis Post-Dispatch -- By Charles Williams, Rear Admiral, US Navy (Retired) -- The military services are meeting their recruitment goals this year. But there's a brewing issue. Even among young ... more
For the sake of national security, we must win the obesity battle
July 21st, 2011Pittsburgh Post-Gazette -- By Dennis L. Benchoff, Lieutenant General, US Army (Retired) -- Your July 11 editorial understates the impact that America's obesity crisis is having on military recruiti... more
Strengthen school nutrition standards
July 10th, 2011Honolulu Star Advertiser -- By Stuart F. Platt, Rear Admiral, US Navy (Retired) -- As a retired Navy flag officer, I am worried about the low percentage of young adults who qualify for military serv... more
Pre-K cuts a national security issue
July 3rd, 2011Charlotte Observer -- By Walter H. Cantrell, Rear Admiral, US Navy (Retired) -- As a father and grandfather, I support the best possible start for our children. But as a retired Navy Admiral and as ... more
Don’t turn education crisis into national security crisis
June 30th, 2011The Olympian (WA) -- By Alan M. Steinman, Rear Admiral, US Coast Guard (Retired) -- Just as high-quality early education is critical for a skilled workforce, it is also critical for our national secu... more
Childhood Obesity Threat to National Security
June 27th, 2011Lexington Herald-Leader (KY) -- By Michael Davidson, Major General, US Army (Retired), Donald Storm, Major General, US Army (Ret.) and D. Allen Youngman, Major General, US Army (Ret.) -- As retired... more
Guest commentary: How national security depends on preschool funding
June 16th, 2011Detroit Free Press – By Thomas G. Cutler, Major General, US Air Force (Retired) and E. Gordon Stump, Major General, US Air Force (Retired) -- As retired generals, we have both been involved in th... more
Early education and security
June 14th, 2011Bangor Daily News (ME) -- A June 2 BDN article headlined, “Area leaders: early education important for Maine business,” stressed the importance of high-quality early childhood education and its i... more
Early education a lifeline for armed forces
June 7th, 2011Centre Daily Times (State College, PA) – These statistics show a looming skills gap among the next generation of Americans that will limit their ability to fill 21st century jobs, placing the econom... more
Vilsack says anti-obesity campaign needed to keep next generation competitive, country secure
June 6th, 2011Agweek Magazine – The obesity of young people is a national security issue because so many young people are too heavy to serve in the military, he noted. “If we don’t have enough kids who are ... more
Military group presses Pa. on education funding
June 2nd, 2011Associated Press (Harrisburg, PA) – Retired military leaders are asking Pennsylvania lawmakers to reject proposed cuts in state aid for early childhood education out of concern that a large group of... more
Editorial: Smart kids become better warriors
May 25th, 2011Lincoln Journal Star (NE) – It's generally accepted that a high school degree is no ticket to a decent job in today's competitive market. Nonetheless, it was startling to read in the Journal Star e... more
Study: 15 percent of state's high school grads can't pass military entrance exam
May 16th, 2011Lincoln Journal Star – Nationally, 23 percent of the 350,000 students included in the study failed to score high enough to join the Army. And, as in Nebraska, substantially larger percentages of eth... more
Retired military leaders say local youth 'unfit' for service
May 14th, 2011Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – A combination of poor graduation rates, poor health and criminal records bars almost 90 percent of Pittsburgh's young adults from joining the military, according to a repo... more
3 Out Of 4 Young People Unfit To Serve In U.S. Military
May 13th, 2011CBS Pittsburgh – Three out of four young people in America are not fit for military service and it’s worse in the city of Pittsburgh. “Eighty to 90 percent of the recruitable age population are ... more
Editorial: Unfit to serve: 75 percent of young adults can't qualify for the military
May 8th, 2011Daily Independent (Ashland, KY) – Nationwide, more than 26 million young people are deemed unfit for military service, while in Kentucky 333,529 could not join the military. If you are like us, t... more
Early childhood education teaches valuable skills
May 1st, 2011Kennebec Journal (Augusta, ME) -- I agree with the business leaders who recently spoke out about the ways that early childhood investments pay dividends for Maine's economy. But I have another stron... more
Early education good for kids, state
April 29th, 2011Portland Press Herald (ME) -- Currently, more than 30 percent of our young people nationwide -- and 24 percent in Maine -- are not graduating from high school on time. Even among those who do, many ... more
Obesity's nuts and bolts: Better kitchens, better training
April 20th, 2011Atlanta Journal-Constitution – As a former commanding general of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, I am concerned. The U.S. Department of Defense estimates that nationwide one in four young adults ... more
Just good business sense
April 17th, 2011Roanoke Times (VA) – Retired Brig. Gen. John Douglass was in town the other week not so much to kick butt -- he was quite the congenial gentleman, really -- but to rally the troops: a friendly audie... more
Large numbers of overweight Georgians rejected for military service
April 15th, 2011Savannah Morning News – Young Americans are growing too fat to fight for their country and a group of retired Army generals was in Savannah Friday calling on Congressman Jack Kingston and public sch... more
Retired general fights for public education support
April 6th, 2011Lynchburg News & Advance (VA) – Fighting tears during an emotional speech at the National D-Day Memorial on Wednesday, retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. John W. Douglass rallied gatherers to tak... more
Former generals oppose Wash. education budget cuts
March 25th, 2011Associated Press, Olympia, WA – A group of retired generals and admirals want Washington lawmakers to continue funding early education as a way to improve the pool of eligible military recruits. ... more
Obama official cites poor quality of education, effect on military
March 23rd, 2011San Diego Union-Tribune – Three out of four young adults are unqualified to join the armed forces, largely because of failures in the nation’s schools, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Wedn... more
Another view on kids: Focus on early education
January 25th, 2011USA Today – Sad, but true: Most young adults in the U.S. cannot qualify for military service, and one major reason lies with our troubled educational system. Read Full Article ... more
Education: a matter of national security
January 17th, 2011San Diego Union-Tribune – A continuing surge in patriotism among young people – coupled with high unemployment – has made military service increasingly attractive to thousands of young adults en... more
Making Soldiers Fit to Fight, Without the Situps
August 30th, 2010New York Times -- Excess weight is the leading reason the Army rejects potential recruits. And while that has been true for years, the problem has worsened as the waistlines of America’s youth hav... more
The Senate’s Important Lunch Date
August 3rd, 2010New York Times -- By Senator Richard G. Lugar -- Nearly one-third of our children are either overweight or obese, which is telling evidence of greater social problems. Indeed, it’s become a national... more
Childhood obesity: A security issue
July 15th, 2010Politico -- This is a busy summer for the nation’s 15,000 military recruiters, as more high school and college graduates are seeking a military career. But despite their education and “good cit... more
Too fat to fight? Military recruits and obesity
June 17th, 2010Washington Post -- Whatever you think of U.S. involvement in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is a little unnerving to read a recent report by a panel of top retired military officers on the phy... more
The latest national security threat: obesity
April 30th, 2010Washington Post -- Are we becoming a nation too fat to defend ourselves? It seems incredible, but these are the facts: As of 2005, at least 9 million young adults -- 27 percent of all Americans age... more
