Retired Generals and Admirals, Senator Lugar and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Issue Warning: Childhood Obesity Endangers National Security

National Security/Child Nutrition Press Conference

20 April 2010 at 10 a.m.

Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room SD-G11

WASHINGTON, April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Joined by U.S. Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, retired generals and admirals who are members of the non-profit group, MISSION: READINESS, will release new findings on the dramatic increase of obesity among young adults age 17 to 24 – a trend that is reducing the pool of healthy young adults available for military service.  

Declaring that the obesity epidemic is threatening the nation's security, the retired military leaders will call on Congress to pass new child nutrition legislation that will remove junk food from schools and improve nutritional standards for all food available to children in educational settings.

This is not the first time the military has spoken out about the health of America's children. In 1945, military leaders expressed concern about the poor health and nutrition experienced by many potential recruits, and Congress responded by creating the national school lunch program as a matter of national security. Today, retired military leaders are expressing similar concerns about obesity and urging Congress to act by strengthening the Child Nutrition Act currently under consideration.

WHO:            U.S. Senator Richard Lugar (R-Indiana)  

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack

Lieutenant General Norman R. Seip, US Air Force (Ret.)

Rear Admiral James A Barnett, Jr., US Navy (Ret.)

Brigadier General Clara L. Adams-Ender, US Army (Ret.)

Amy Dawson Taggart, National Director, Mission: Readiness

WHAT:        News Conference

WHEN:        20 April 2010 at 10 a.m.

WHERE:        Dirksen Senate Office Building, Ground Floor, Room SD-G11

Timing:        The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry recently approved a child nutrition bill that takes important first steps toward addressing childhood obesity.  The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration.

www.missionreadiness.org

CONTACTS:      

Mike Kiernan, O: 202-464-7016, C: 202-412-7579, E-Mail: [email protected]  

Ted Eismeier, O: 202-464-5350, C: 315-335-9222, E-Mail: [email protected]

SOURCE MISSION: READINESS

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