I found out yesterday that the military denies enlistment to people who have undergone gastric bypass or lapband surgeries and I find this maddening. I read forum posts stating that this is because those who have undergone the surgeries lack discipline and posts stating that it's because the meals provided by the military do not comply with the diet requirements after gastric bypass. Neither of these reasons hold water as far as I'm concerned.
How can you view one event in a persons life and say that it means they lack discipline! How about people who hold down full time jobs. Does that take discipline? It takes discipline to study for tests. To graduate from college. Or in my case to finally quit smoking 3 years ago.
How about admiring the fact that these people had the COURAGE to realize that they needed help and got it.
Not everything in life can be solved by saying you should have more self-control.
Is it the persons responsibility that they let their weight get out of control to begin with. Yes. But that doesn't mean that they should be punished for trying to rectify the situation.
I don't understand how people can judge those who are obese for this reason:
How many people in the world want to lose 20 pounds? 30 pounds? How difficult is that to do? I would say the answer to that would be an emphatic ALOT! The problem with most obese people isn't that they can't lose the 20 or 30 pounds. Personally, I could lose 50 pounds in less than 6 months. The problem was never the lack of trying. The problem was losing that 50 pounds 4 times over! It's hard to stay on a diet for an extended period. Real life isn't like the Biggest Loser or Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. You don't go away and have personal trainers to help you lose the weight. Instead you have to work 40 hours a week on top of keeping up with family obligations which can be just as exhausting and find time to work your butt off in the gym on top of that. I don't believe that you can just put obesity in a box labeled "lack of self control" and be done with it.
As for the other statement about the food. This one I could understand having a rule that those who had undergone weight loss surgery would have to wait 1 year before joining the military because the first year there are a lot of food restrictions. But after the first year those who have undergone gastric bypass can eat normally again, only they eat smaller amounts and try to eat healthier. But doesn't everyone try to eat healthier. Does the military serve chili cheese fries and double cheeseburgers for every meal? So we have to take a multi-vitamin every day. Big deal. I'm sure there are people in the military who have to take medications every day.
I read posts stating that people had the surgery for the ultimate goal of joining the military and couldn't.
Personally, I had the surgery because of my diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver. My diabetes has already been reversed and I have no doubt that by the end of the year the fatty liver will be cured as well.
My grandfather was in the Army and served in WW2 and my father served in the Army as well. Not being able to lose the weight on my own to join the Navy is one of the biggest regrets in my life.
Joining the military is not a decision that people make lightly. Not only are you signing on the represent the country you love but to put your life on the line defending it too. I have the highest respect for those in the armed forces and for anyone who would be willing to take that oath of service. Which is why I find it sad and disheartening that people are rejected from joining and serving this wonderful country because of gastric bypass surgery.
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