For many U.S. citizens, teens especially, serving the country through military service is a life goal. However, that goal is looking more and more unobtainable for the youth of America.

There are quite a few rules restricting military enlistment, with age, a high school diploma and U.S. citizenship being the most commonly known. The less commonly known restrictions, regarding health, are the ones causing a problem.

Americans are known for being unhealthy and overweight. In recent years, when teenagers have reported for military enlistment, they are turned away for not meeting physical standards. Simply put, they are too fat. Males between the ages of 17 and 20 must not exceed a maximum body fat percentage of 20, while females must not exceed 30 percent. U.S. teens are not meeting this standard.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than one-third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese in 2012. With 12.7 million children and adolescents aged 2-19 currently falling in the “obese” category, that number is only increasing. In addition, just six states, including Mississippi, require a physical education class in every grade.

The problem isn’t only found in adolescents either. In 2012, the CDC reported that about 69 percent of adults were found to be either overweight or obese. In 2013, the CDC also developed a chart showing self-reported obesity rates in each state. Mississippi and West Virginia were both found to have an obesity rate of more than 35 percent, but no state was found to be less than 20 percent.

In order to pass the Army’s Basic Training Fitness Test, a person must be able to do a certain amount of sit ups and push ups in under two minutes each and then run two miles. Twenty-seven percent  of Americans ages 17 to 24 are too large to serve in the military with these qualifications. Approximately 15,000 potential recruits fail their physicals each year. Though the U.S. military is not currently suffering because of these numbers, it could lead to a state of emergency should the need for a draft arise. There will be too few people to fill the draft, leading to a threat to national security.

Weight is just one of the many problems keeping applicants from joining the military. Small problems – such as childhood asthma – can be waived, but chronic illnesses or birth defects may be too serious to ignore. Drug and alcohol abuse are also serious issues. Likewise, any applicant convicted for sexual crimes or any recent repeated criminal charges will be shot down. Applicants must meet all these standards – weight, health, clean record – as well as pass a standardized test.

The United States is famously known for being fat, unhealthy and stupid. These insults can all usually be brushed off. Unfortunately, with so many citizens actually failing to meet the standard to defend our country, these claims are now harder to ignore. Everyone suffers, especially our nation’s defense.