The Army Times covers (and CNN repeats) the lengths to which Army troops are now going in order to avoid discharge for being overweight:

They’re increasingly turning to starvation diets,  weight-loss pills, laxatives and even liposuction…

Soldiers write about wrapping themselves in Icy-Hot, Preparation H treatments, popping stool softeners, going to saunas to meet the Army’s requirements.  Many of the comments say the military should reassess its weight standards.

Keep in mind this has nothing to do with the military’s rigorous standards for their physical fitness tests — only weight standards:

About 24,000 soldiers were discharged between 1992 and 2007 for failure to comply with weight standards…In comparison, the Army discharged less than a tenth of that number — 2,342 soldiers — for failing the physical fitness test between 1999 and 2007.

So soldiers who otherwise have the skills to perform the mission and meet standards are struggling only with the issue of weight.

Interestingly, far more soldiers were discharged for weight than homosexuality, which has received far more attention.  In fact, weight is worse, since the propensity for obesity in the population — from which the military recruits its members — is far greater than homosexuality.